Defy the Order
by Blue Narcissus
Summary: Rayne is not your average Hogwarts student, part of a powerful and ancient dark order Draco finds it hard to resist the demon. But there are others who too have plans for her and all is not quite what it seems. Story is finally completed!
1. Introduction

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or creations by J.K Rowling etc etc

Summery: A new and mysterious girl appears at Hogwarts but she is not all that she seems. A member of an ancient and dangerous breed of demons she has been sent with one goal in mind. Will she fulfill this goal or will she defy her orders and follow her own path. Find out in her story as Rayne makes her impression on Hogwarts and captures the heart of a certain Slytherin along the way.

Warning: Rated M for language, violence, smut and fluff to come in later chapters.

Edited: 11/03/08

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Introduction

Draco strutted confidently down the corridor of the Hogwarts Express, his trademark smirk played on his lips and a wicked glint flashed in his silver-grey eyes this year was going to be perfect. He'd been made Slytherin Prefect giving him even more power over the pathetic students at that wretched school in fact his new position of power was really the only thing worth going back for and he was going to make damn sure he made the most of it.

He passed a few timid looking first years in the corridor and sent them scattering with a scathing glance, his lip curled in a disdainful sneer he didn't even need to open his mouth to command them away. A small and wicked chuckle escaped his lips before he turned to resume his search for Crabb and Goyle.

"Where are those two insolent goons?" He muttered softly to himself as he passed through the sliding doors into the next carriage. Gazing down the corridor he spied an unfamiliar figure sweep gracefully into a nearby compartment, but a second later three younger girls rushed out of that same compartment and fled hurriedly down the corridor, barging Draco out of the way as they rushed past. "Hey!" He shouted after them, but they had long disappeared before he'd gotten the chance to scold them or deduct any points.

With a scowl Draco headed towards the compartment, preparing to berate the person who'd sent the scurrying first years crashing into him, at least then he'd feel some satisfaction in intimidating somebody, if not the little wretches that had barged into him then the person who had caused them to run in the first place would have to do.

A stern glare set in his cold grey eyes, he slid the door open roughly and, sneering, he stepped into the compartment.


	2. New Face Amongst the Snakes

Edited: 11/03/08

Diclaimers and warnings same as previous chapter.

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New Face amongst the Snakes

She strode gracefully down the corridor of the Hogwarts Express, oblivious to the number of heads that turned as she passed. Muttered whispers followed her graceful path, "Who is that? Never seen her before." But not once did she even acknowledge that she'd even heard their voices.

New students weren't exactly a novelty at Hogwarts, on the contrary a hoard of them appeared every new year, but she was different. For starters she was most certainly not a first year, standing at around 5"7 and far too mature in her appearance to be merely eleven years old. No she was definitely far closer to seventeen, but why had she come to Hogwarts so late?

They all watched as she passed, dressed already in her flowing black school robes which bore the Slytherin House crest yet still she was nothing like they'd ever seen before. Sleek and long flowing raven black hair, skin as pale as death, lips a deep, blood red without even a trace of makeup, but it was her eyes that startled them most. They were a hauntingly beautiful shade of perfect amethyst, so unusual in their colour and yet so fitting with the rest of the airs and graces that emanated from her tall and slender form as she glided effortlessly down the corridor.

She stopped before a compartment already occupied by three happily chatting first years, like much of the rest of the train. The girl seemed to sigh, almost choosing to turn away, but as an after thought she outstretched a pale hand and slid open the compartment door. Stepping inside she fixed the suddenly silenced first years with a hard and steady gaze, the atmosphere inside the compartment grew thick and heavy with tension. Shifting uncomfortably in their seats the anxious first years looked around casting nervous glances at each other before raising their gazes to lock with those purple eyes. Mouths widening in horror the three of them scrambled frantically for their belongings and rushed out into the hallway, eager to be as far away from that strange Slytherin girl as possible.

The girl watched with arched eyebrows as the smaller students hurriedly vacated the compartment curving her dark red lips into a knowing smile. Stepping forward she settled herself in one of the seats and drew a book out of her pocket, opening the pages she immersed herself in the words until the sound of someone entering the compartment drew her attention.

"Can I help you?" She asked, her tone slightly bored in all of it's ringing eloquence, not once glancing up from her book.

"No! You cannot _help_ me." A cold and drawling voice spat back at her. The girl closed her eyes and bit her tongue in exasperation, all she had wanted was a bit of peace and quiet where she could read her book, why did everyone seem to want to interrupt her? Flicking her deep, amethyst eyes over the top of her book she met with his frosty silver glare.

He was quite a picture to behold, tall and slim though certainly not scrawny. White blonde hair on the longer side that fell in soft folds around his face, delightfully angular facial features and those piercing silver-grey eyes completed his handsome form. Or at least it would have been handsome it if were not for the thunderous expression that currently possessed his angular features. She arched her pencil thin eyebrows as she took in his pleasing appearance and murderous expression, waiting calmly for him to continue and perhaps explain why he had insisted on interrupting her.

"You can tell me what on earth you think you're playing at." He commanded, locking his gaze fiercely onto hers. She furrowed her alabaster brow in a frown and finally conceded to closing her book, she had a feeling that this wasn't going to be simply a brief encounter.

She made him wait a few seconds for a reply whilst she placed the book back into her pocket. Returning to holding his steely gaze she said simply, "elaborate."

Draco's eyes narrowed and his lips pursed in irritation at the girls lack of an answer, didn't she realise who she was speaking to? "Those damned little first years." He spat, stepping forwards to tower over her so that she had to tilt her head up to meet his gaze. "What did you do to them?" He continued to question viciously, "You sent them running straight into me out in the corridor."

"I see." She said, narrowing her eyes, "Well I do apologise, but don't you think you should take it up with them? After all I didn't _make_ them run into you." She concluded firmly, refusing to be intimidated no matter how hard he tried.

At her words his face screwed up with rage, how dare she tell him what to do, who was she anyway? She hadn't even answered his question. "Who do you think you are telling me what to do!" He raged, raising his voice to a commanding octave in an attempt to exert his dominance over the situation. "Don't you know who I am? Now answer my question!" He demanded.

Swallowing her temper at the rude arrogance the deeply handsome wizard was displaying she rose to her feet and smirked at his surprise when she almost surpassed him in height. Standing close enough so that she could feel his hot, enraged breath on her face she said, "No, sadly I do not know WHO you are. Though I have no doubt that you are about to inform me." She paused in her calm but biting speech allowing the words sink in before she continued, "Who I am is none of your business until you can ask me politely." She paused once again starring hard into his eyes to show that he did not scare her, "And as for what I did to those first years, the answer is nothing." Her voice was it's same, calm tone but the quiet volume screamed with all of her deadly promise.

Draco opened his mouth ready to shoot back some scathing retort only to find himself speechless, no one had ever raged at him so bluntly and with such calm before. She seemed to show such a lack of emotion that he just could not find the right buttons to push to intimidate her or fuel her temper. He was getting nowhere and he hated it, damn it he was a Malfoy, he always got what he wanted. Draco had become so immersed in gathering his thoughts that it took him several minutes to notice that she had returned to her seat and resumed in reading her book.

How dare she just ignore him like that! Not knowing how else to handle the situation Draco plunged his hand into his robes and withdrew his wand. There he stood pointing it threateningly at her chest, fire blazing in his eyes.

She had noticed Draco's movements out of the corner of her eye and felt her insides burn with rage as he turned his wand on her. Dropping her book to the floor she reached out quickly with one hand and delighted, whilst he watched in horror, as his wand seemed to disintegrate from his grip and re-materialise in her own. She twirled his wand nonchalantly between her long and delicate fingers before thrusting out her other palm whereby Draco felt himself forced backwards and into the seat behind him.

His eyes widened in horror at what had just occurred and he felt an overwhelming urge to bolt for the door, but her terrifying gaze held him fixed in his seat. Her pupils seemed to have slowly bled outwards engulfing her entire eyes, leaving wide and glistening black voids where once sparkling purple crystals had lay.

"What the hell are you?!" Draco exclaimed suddenly finding his tongue, though his voice cracked and sounded wholly alien. To his utter surprise her face broke into a smile and, thankfully, her pupils gradually shrank back to what for her was normal.

"Not exactly as polite as I'd had in mind." She said, her tone noticeably amused at how successfully she had scared him, "but still it's better than your commanding the information from me." She rose to her feet and moved to gracefully sit in the seat beside him. Draco tensed as she moved, feeling shocks run through him as her hand brushed accidentally against his own. The girl leaned in close to his slightly trembling body, so that she was almost whispering into his ear, and said softly, "I'm a Demon."


	3. You're a What?

Edited: 11/03/08

Disclaimer and warnings same as first chapter.

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You're a What?

Draco blinked, not sure if he'd heard her correctly, did she really just say what he thought she had? Shifting awkwardly in his seat, feeling considerably uncomfortable sitting beside her after the magic she had just displayed, and yet he couldn't help but find himself intrigued. Licking his lips nervously, an act so out of character for the notorious Draco Malfoy, he took a deep breath and turned to face her properly taking in her appearance for the first time.

Now that his rage had cooled, or rather having been forced from him to be replaced by shock and confusion, he began to actually see this girl. The haze of fury had blinded him before preventing him from seeing her as he did then in that moment and she was captivating. Her skin was flawless and deathly white, her lips, full and soft, were the perfect colour of red wine, sleek jet-black hair cascaded down her long and slender back, but it was her eyes that entranced him most. Previously so terrifying when they appeared as endless black voids now were startlingly pure like perfect amethyst crystals, she was so obviously no ordinary 'witch'.

Holding her purple gaze with his own silver-grey he parted his lips and said in barely a whisper, "You're a what?"

She chuckled softly, loving how effortless it was to torment the previously arrogantly confident wizard. "A Demon," she repeated, her tone no longer that deadly whisper more quiet and conversational intending to try and put an end to the shouting and intimidating behaviour. No matter what she was, she was there because she had to go to the school and she decided she should probably at least attempt to get along with other people. "Surely you've heard of us, even if it was only in stories."

_Now she's being friendly? _Draco thought agitatedly to himself, unsure of how exactly to read this terrifying and beautiful girl. _Be nice, _he warned himself, _you've seen what she can do, plus she's still got your wand. _He shifted again to try and appear more relaxed and nodded to her, "Yes I've heard stories about there being demons but they were just that, stories. I never dreamed I'd ever meet one." He finally said, his voice sounding oddly careful and strained compared to his usual confident drawl.

She smiled, glad that he was making an effort, whether it was out of fear or interest she didn't really care but after insisting on interrupting her and shouting it was the least he could do to be nice. "Well, now you have." She said brightly as she extended a hand towards him in a gesture of greeting, "My name is Rayne." She said a smile creeping to her dark red lips.

_What's this? She expects me to shake hands with her after what she did, how do I know she won't tear it off or something? _Draco thought bitterly as he looked nervously towards her proffered hand. _Don't be a fool she's trying to be nice. _He silently scolded himself as another thought crept to his mind, _Besides she could prove to be a powerful ally, _the trace of a smirk appearing on his lips as some shred of his usual character started to return.

As she gazed at him she could sense the inner war he was having with himself. She chuckled softly, admiring his handsome features, which looked far more appealing now he wasn't wearing that thunderous expression. "Don't worry I don't bite." She said to help stop the argument he was having in his head, "Not unless you really deserve it." She finished smiling broadly, well she didn't want him to become too complacent.

He smiled, even if it was slightly forced it was still a smile. Tentatively raising a hand he placed his long, pale palm against her paler, more delicate one. "Draco Malfoy." He said simply as they briefly gripped each other's hands. He was surprised at the strength he could feel in those thin and delicate fingers and even more so by the power he felt prickle over his skin where their flesh met.

They drew their hands apart, the tingle remaining alive on Draco's skin for a few moments before slowly dissipating, "See it wasn't so bad was it," Rayne said teasingly, "We're really not all other-worldly monsters."

Despite himself Draco actually let out a laugh, "No I can see that," he said finding himself falling into Rayne's amethyst eyes. But he then frowned as the reality of what she had just told him began to sink in. "But wait," he said remembering more clearly the stories he had heard about the race of demons. No matter how fantastical the stories were they'd all always made one thing very clear, "I'd always heard that the demon race had been banished from the wizarding world."

Raynes shifted her sitting position and dropped her eyes to the floor, now it was her turn to feel uncomfortable. "That was the intention yes." She said airily, her voice directed towards her knees, she knew that this conversation would occur sooner or later and began to wish that she had been more careful when it came to keeping her true identity to herself.

Draco's intrigue was increased by her reaction to his comment and he felt a desperate need to question her about it, "Then how is it that you're here?"

Rayne didn't reply immediately, she had been anticipating that question after Draco's comment. Eyes still fixed on the floor she considered what options she had when it came to replying to that question. It was her own fault, she'd led them to this situation so she really had no choice but to tell him something, else he would know that she had indeed got something to hide and would probably press her further for information she wasn't prepared to give. Snapping her head up she met Draco's gaze once again and parted her lips to speak. Pausing for a moment to reassure herself of the correct way to tell her story before letting it pass her lips, Rayne then finally uttered, "Do you really want to hear all this? It's rather a long story and I'd rather not begin if you're not really interested." No answer, more stalling she really didn't want to discuss the matter.

Her comments only served to ignite Draco's interest all the more, a long and complicated story? There was bound to be something of interest in what she had to say, and who knew it could prove to be useful. "Of course," he said, "I've got nothing else to do on this damned train journey." A glimmer of the usual cocky and confident Draco beginning once again to shine through.

Rayne sighed, resigning herself to the fact that she was going to have to tell her story. She shouldn't have led them to this but she just had to go and terrorise him, she just couldn't resist cutting the handsome but arrogantly cocky Draco Malfoy down to size. Sitting back comfortably she took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, gathering her thoughts for how best to tell the tale.

"Well," Rayne began, a frown playing across her brow as she searched for the right words, " the stories you've heard are true, everyone of demonic blood was banished by your ministry around forty or so year ago. The dignitaries of our race were disgruntled to say the least but in the end they left without too much of a fight. Pooling all their power together they created for us our own world beneath the ground, somewhere that we could reign supremely, a place that would strike fear in the heart of any outsider unfortunate enough to come across it." It was a cliché so commonly used to describe Rayne's homeland but she thought it best to play up to the stories Draco would have heard, it made believing far easier.

Draco nodded impatiently, he'd heard all of this numerous times before, what he really wanted to know was how Rayne fitted into all of this and why she was now residing in the wizarding world. "Yes but how did you come to be here?" He asked, hoping that she would get the idea and get to the point.

She narrowed her eyes at his impatience but continued on, "An ancient Brotherhood exists for a chosen few of our race. It is known as the Order of the Blood and my father is one of its members. Once when I was young he took me with him to a gathering of the Blood and there I too was initiated into the Order." She paused and extended her left arm. Pulling back her robes she revealed a peculiar glyph etched into the skin of her forearm it bore a ring bisected by five straight lines like the points of a star and it was coloured a bright, blood red.

Draco's eyes widened as she displayed this mark and he marvelled at the familiarity of it. It must have held the same significance for the Blood members as the Dark Mark did for every Death Eater, the concept was almost identical. Unable to resist the urge Draco reached out a hand and softly brushed his fingers across the mark, gasping he quickly snatched his hand away as a pulse of power shot through the tips of his fingers like bolts of lightening.

Rayne too gasped as she felt the power burn through the mark on her arm, her eyes widened at the sensation something that should be felt only in the meeting of dark powers. She met his cold grey eyes and wondered if he understood the significance of what they'd just felt. _He has great potential this one, _she thought to herself, he possessed power and though different still akin to her own in its essence. _He should know the truth, _she frowned, _I just don't think he'd understand._

Draco bit his lip, revelling in the sensation that tingled on the surface of his flesh, it was strange though not altogether unpleasant. So much power and that was merely a taste of what she really possessed, what was he getting himself in to? Swallowing hard he forced himself back to reality, struggling to keep a hold of the fading sensation. Opening his mouth he said in a harsh whisper. "But I still don't understand, how is it that you're here coming to Hogwarts?"

Rayne chewed absently on her lower lip for a few seconds as she formed the words in her head, "My mother," she blurted out suddenly, "my mother hated that I'd been forced into the Order and she was terrified by what they could have me do." Rayne met his eyes and saw in them a glimmer of recognition, taking a deep breath she sighed and dropped her gaze from his. "Then a day came when she couldn't stand it anymore," she said, "the worry," Rayne amended as she saw the confusion cross his face. "She took me away, brought me to your world where I would be 'safe'. She left me with a witch and wizard couple figuring that I could pass as a witch so long as I hid the extent of my power." Rayne sighed, finding herself feeling a little melancholy in the telling this story, a fabrication, but she knew he wasn't yet ready to hear the truth.

Draco waited silently for a few seconds but when Rayne remained silent he opened his mouth to comment, "So this family, they just took you in just like that?"

She nodded, "My mother may have had to 'persuade' them in some way, I'm not too sure. But yes they gladly took me in knowing full well what I was."

He nodded, the story beginning to come together now, but he then frowned again as another thought grabbed him, "But then why did you not come to Hogwarts in the first year?" He asked as she was most certainly in the same year as he was.

At that he was surprised to see her smile and even chuckle slightly, "Well that's when all the trouble started." She said, her amethyst eyes glinting wickedly. "You see I can't channel my powers through a wand, it's my hands or nothing and, well, my adoptive family were certain I couldn't be accepted because of it. Going to a muggle school was also obviously out of the question, at that time I didn't have a very good handle on my power, not to mention my temper. So I just stayed at home." Rayne shrugged, not sure how else to explain how she should have spent her days, what exactly did young. "Eventually the Ministry realised that my 'parents' had an underage child not in school, I'm not quite sure which incompetent fool took them five years to realise this, but when they did I was instantly enrolled at Hogwarts. I think they're only trying to save face for taking so long to notice, but to be honest I don't think I really have much of a choice."

Draco laughed scathingly, she was right the Ministry were a bunch of incompetent fools. "But do they know? Up at the school do they know that you're a demon?"

Rayne nodded, a motion which Draco had not been expecting, "Yes, well Dumbledore is it? He knows, he was the one that accepted me and I should think that most of the Professors know too considering how I'll have to work in their classes."

Draco found himself rolling his eyes. He should have known, that barmy old man Dumbledore would let anyone in his school,. but another thought soon came to his mind, no matter how it pained him to admit if but if I weren't for Dumbledore then he never would have met this incredible girl. "I suppose you're right." He agreed referring to her comment about the Professors, edging closer to her in his seat as he spoke. "But then does that mean that I'm the only student who knows?" He asked as he confidently reached out to grasp her hand in his own.

The movement surprised Rayne, not only was Draco being very forward considering that they had only just met but Rayne had thought that she had scared him a little more than that. But she let him take a hold of her hand, well what was she supposed to do? She did think him attractive after all and she relished in the attention he was paying her. She turned to gaze at Draco finding him sat closer than she had expected. "It would appear that way." She muttered to him softly.

Draco grinned inwardly when she didn't pull her hand away from his and he held it in a soft but firm grip, wanting to regain some control over the situation. "Well then, you've chosen you confidante wisely." He said with a grin as he confidently decided to seize the moment and leaned in to delicately brush his lips against hers.

Rayne smiled feeling like she should be kicking herself for lavishing in the attentions of one Draco Malfoy when she'd only just met him, but all of those thoughts were washed away when he kissed her. The touch of his lips was so light and fluttering that it made her own tingle with promise. "Is that so?" She asked him in a breathless whisper, arching her eyebrows in a questioning gesture, delighting as he grinned and leaned in to kiss her again.

This time his touch wasn't so light and Rayne blissed as his soft lips caressed her own. When they broke the kiss Rayne smiled but something over Draco's shoulder suddenly caught her eye. There was a face staring at them though the compartment window.

It was a girls face, fresh with tear tracks that traced lines down her cheeks just as new floods welled up in her eyes. Despite the tears she wore an expression of such fury at having just witnessed the scene within the compartment. Rayne could only logically reach once conclusion about her, "Um, Draco." She said.

"Mmm," Draco mumbled still grinning at Rayne, loving how his name sounded when she spoke it in her ringing and eloquent tone.

"I think your girlfriend is at the door." Rayne said flatly, drawing away as Draco whipped around to look.

"Oh shit!" He exclaimed in an irritated tone as the girl burst into renewed floods of tears and took off down the corridor. Draco stood and hurried after her, "Pansy," he called in the same loud and irritated voice. Stepping out of the compartment he left without so much as a word to Rayne.

Sitting baring a shocked expression Rayne watched as Draco left, he might have at least said goodbye if not even giving any explanation before he rushed off. She tutted with a shake of her head, but then she suppose she was now alone which was what she had wanted in the first place. Maybe now she'd actually be able to read her book, standing to retrieve it from the floor she shook the thought of Draco from her head, let him deal with his own problems she had enough of her own to think about.


	4. Hissy Fit

Disclaimers and warnings same as chapter 1

Edited: 31/03/2008

A short interlude featuring Draco. I hadn't originally intended on writing this bit but I felt it was needed to help the story progress. A big Thank you to all of my readers and reviewers.

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Hissy Fit

Draco flew down the corridor after a hysterical Pansy. His robes whipped about his ankles with the speed of his movement and a continuous string of muttered curses fell from his lips as he closed the gap between himself and the wailing Slytherin girl.

"Pansy!" He shouted angrily, getting tired of having to chase her. He wasn't even entirely sure why he was, she was upset but that was her problem and by following her wasn't he simply doing exactly want she wanted him to? Why did he care what she thought? okay so he had taken her to the Yule Ball last year and since then everyone seemed to assume that she was his girlfriend but he hadn't thought she believed that too.

She turned to glare angrily at him; the tears still falling thick and fast down her pale cheeks, "Fuck you Draco!" Pansy shrieked before turning her back on him and stalking down the corridor once more.

Draco narrowed his eyes and snarled as Pansy insulted him, how dare she! Hissing with rage he stepped forward, taking broad strides to close the distance between them, he would not let her run away from him again. There was no way he would spend the rest of the journey chasing her up and down the damn train trying to get her to listen to him. Reaching out Draco grabbed Pansy roughly by the arm and dragged her around to face him. Gripping her with bruising force he lent forward and hissed into her face, "What the fuck is your problem Pansy?"

Pansy's eyes widened with fear as she met his cold gaze and Draco felt a pang of disgust at the pathetic picture she made. "Let me go, you're hurting me." She whined in a small voice, trying uselessly to wrench her arm from his grip.

Sneering he shoved her away from him with such force that she fell hard into the wall of the train where she slid, shaking and sobbing, to the floor. Draco turned away putting his back to the pitiful wretch that was crumpled behind him, trying desperately to swallow his rage.

"You disgust me Draco Malfoy." He heard her mutter, her words more confident as his back was turned, "Not only do I find you kissing some other girl but then you go and hurt me even more by physically attacking me." Draco scowled at the wall trying desperately not to lose control as she demeaned him. "You're a pathetic excuse for a man." Pansy taunted her voice still thick with tears but gaining more force behind her convictions.

"Don't push me Pansy." Draco spat, digging his nails into his palms as he fought with the urge to lash out.

"Or what?" She bit back, sounding far braver than she felt as she pushed herself up off of the floor and away from the wall. "Who is your cheap floozy anyway? I've never seen her before. Don't tell me your standards are slipping." She crooned silkily reminding Draco of exactly why everyone assumed that they were together. Both Slytherin's, both from well-bred pureblood families, it was just naturally expected.

Draco sneered, slipping standards? Rayne was far worthier of his attentions than the pathetic excuse for a witch before him. "Slipping standards?" He said aloud, looking back towards her and raising his eyebrows, allowing an evil laugh to escape his lips. "I could hardly sink any lower than you Pansy save falling for a dirty little Mudblood!" He spat viciously, delighting at the look of horror that spread over her face.

Pansy's mouth gaped in shock and she stood in a stunned silence for a few seconds before seeming to suddenly regain control of her body. Shrieking she launched herself towards Draco, lashing out at him with slaps and scratches. A sharp nail raked across his pale cheek drawing blood that ran in a crimson trail down his flawless skin.

Draco flinched as she flew at him and hissed as he felt her draw blood. With quick reflexes he shot out a hand and grabbed her wrists in mid swing as she made to slap him again. Squeezing hard he made Pansy gasp in pain, then in horror as she saw Draco start to raise his hand. She had pushed him too far and he could think of nothing more satisfying than forcing her to shut her mouth.

"N-no Draco d-don't hit me p-please." Pansy stammered pathetically. Was she actually begging? Draco shoved her away from him in disgust and smirked wickedly as she fell to the floor with a heavy thud.

"Now listen to me Pansy." He said towering over her, "What I do is none of your business. You are not my girlfriend and you never were no matter what you or anyone else may think. You disgust me and if I were you I'd stay the fuck away from me this year." With that he turned and stalked away down the corridor, leaving Pansy to wail in a crumpled and dishevelled heap on the train floor.

Face like thunder Draco walked angrily back through the carriages, eyes flaming with fury, just so long as he didn't run in to…

"Potter," he muttered scathingly as he stepped through a door and came face to face with the horribly unkempt so called Boy Who Lived, Just what Draco needed to top off his day.

To his horror Potter smirked as he noticed the cut and fresh blood that marred Draco's perfect skin, "What's this Malfoy all alone? You Crabb and Goyle had a lovers tiff?" Potter laughed as Draco fumed.

Furiously Draco dug his hands into the pockets of his robes in search of his wand but found nothing, "Shit," Draco quietly cursed, Rayne still had his wand. Resigned he fixed Dumbledore's pet with a frosty glare and said simply, "Get out of my way Potter."

He laughed at Draco, "What's the matter Malfoy not so brave without your two cronies? No more snide remarks to make? You do surprise me." Harry said sardonically.

"I said get the fuck out of my way Potter. I have better things to do than stand here and trade insults with a pathetic waste of space like you." Draco repeated in a viciously calm voice, making to push his way past the infuriating Gryffindor, there was nothing he could do without his wand.

As he passed Draco felt Harry press his wand into his ribs. He sighed and rolled his eyes; Draco was beginning to get very sick of this. "What on earth do you think you're doing Potter?" Draco spat, "Unwise to pick a fight don't you think, unless you want me to tell everybody your dirty little four legged secret."

Draco smirked as Potters face began flush red, fighting with the desire to curse Draco into the next country. When he didn't move Draco stepped away and carried on down the corridor, heading back to the compartment where he had left Rayne. He needed to get his wand back before anybody else tried to attack him.

Feeling physically drained by the time he reached the right compartment Draco slipped inside and dropped himself heavily into the nearest seat.


	5. Up to the Castle

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or creations by J.K Rowling etc etc

Now finally feels like it is getting somewhere now that they are all off of the train. I hadn't originally intended the train journey to take up as many chapters as it did but there was a lot that needed establishing before they got to Hogwarts and more came along than I have planned. But any by then end of this they have finally arrived at Hogwarts hurray!

**A/N: Chapter Edited 28/11/08**

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Up to the Castle

Rayne sighed in frustration as she heard the compartment door slide open once again. She screwed her amethyst eyes shut tight and willed whomever it was to go away, would she never have a moment alone now that she was a student at this school? Ridiculous notion that it was sending a demon to a magic school, as if people weren't going to be suspicious, but then what choice did she have.

Closing her book she snapped her head up and parted her lips, in preparation to command whomever it was to either keep quiet or leave her alone, when she noticed that it was Draco. He had come back. She wondered for a moment what he had come back for until she remembered that his wand was still lying on the seat beside her. Rayne rolled her eyes in vague irritation and said, "So what happened? Did she forgive your…ah…indiscretions?" Her tone was bored as she regarded his pale and dishevelled form.

Draco didn't reply he merely scowled and turned his angular face to look straight at her. His eyes were a cold matt-grey, a lifeless shadow of their previous shimmering silver and a bright red gash stood out stark on his pale cheek. Rayne frowned, "I see she got her blood price. What exactly went on out there?" She asked, kicking herself for caring but she hadn't really expected him to come back at all, let alone sporting war wounds.

Draco glared harshly at Rayne and said bitterly, "Let's just say that she experienced a rather striking reality check and didn't take it all too well." A sneer played on his lips, marring his handsome features as Rayne considered his words.

So had she been mistaken about the two of them then? But if that was the case then why did he tear out of here after her so fast? Rayne asked herself before shaking her head furiously; she refused to be drawn in by him. She had miss-read him to begin with and would not allow herself to be dragged into trouble, not when she had a job to do, things would just get far too complicated.

So instead she simply frowned, "What do you mean, 'Reality check'?" Rayne asked ra little confused. Surely it was simple, Draco's girlfriend had caught him kissing somebody else thus proving that he was untrustworthy and not worth her efforts, okay so maybe that was how things applied to Rayne but the principle was the same. Or was it something else? Had Draco been planning to split with her and thrown himself at the first girl he came across, Rayne just happening to be the unfortunate pawn in his plan. Either way his actions were despicable and Rayne was disgusted with herself for being won over so easily. It had been that moment earlier when the power between them had surged, the sight and feel of the power he could possess had clouded her better judgement. No she would not let it happen again, this boy was not one to trust.

Draco curled his lips in disgust, "She is not my girlfriend, nor has she ever been despite everyone being under that delusion. I simply made things blatantly clear to her, at which point she flipped and began to attack me." He explained sounding almost convincing, but Rayne refused to be won over that easily. It seemed that Draco Malfoy was one to be taken with a pinch of salt, but then she too wasn't being entirely honest with him, or anyone else, either.

Rayne cast him a mock sympathetic glance before shaking her head, "And you'd done nothing to deserve that I suppose?!" She asked in disbelief, a question that earned her an icy glare from Draco.

"No, Nothing!" He spat wondering why Rayne was insisting on being so infuriating all of a sudden.

With a frown she searched his eyes, looking for some sign that he was hiding something, but Rayne came out with nothing. Either he was highly skilled at hiding things from others, or he was indeed entirely convinced that he had done nothing wrong. Well questionable morals she could deal with, Rayne was most certainly no angel herself, but trust? That would take some time, perhaps in the end he'd be worth the effort, but until then she was going to make him work hard for it.

Rayne softened her gaze as she continued to look into his eyes and a small brief smile curved on her lips as she resigned to believe him. "Okay. I'll take your word for it." She said, relishing in being able to gaze at his handsome face, her eyes lingering on his soft, full lips. She couldn't really blame herself for enjoying the attentions he had bestowed on her earlier could she? Not when he looked that good. She closed her eyes and inwardly scolded herself, no she'd not give in so easily again. Catching his gaze she arched her eyebrows and added; "Though I'm not convinced you're an entirely innocent party in all of this."

Draco sighed relieved that Rayne had stopped making assumptions and accusations and simply accepted his word, whether she fully believed him or not. He was not entirely sure why he needed her acceptance but it felt like a weight being lifted off of his chest when he heard those words. He nodded curtly at her, okay so she wasn't going to let him off entirely and grant him her trust so easily, but then he shouldn't really have expected any less. Especially not from a being whose race were renowned for being sadistic killers, in fact he had been anticipating more wounds, but her word at least was a start. " Anyway, I came back for my wand."

Rolling her eyes Rayne nodded, "Yes I had expected as much. Here." She said, failing to hide the irritation and slight disappointment in her voice as she tossed him his wand across the seats.

Draco reached up just in time to catch his wand before it collided with his face. He entwined his long fingers around the wooden handle for a moment before depositing it safely in his pocket, "Thank you." He said with a frown at her tone of voice, well what had she expected him to come back for? _Well you were kissing her moments before you ran out of here. _He reminded himself as a peculiar sense of awkwardness came over him. He didn't know what she expected of him now, and was surprised that he even cared. He never usually worried about what women expected of him so long as they did what he wanted. But then Rayne wasn't exactly like the rest of them and wouldn't think twice before cutting him down to size, possibly quite literally too. No he would have to play this one carefully, if he still intended to have Rayne as a valuable asset at his side.

Standing Draco moved to sit beside her and reaching out he made to grasp her hand. With a hiss of breath Rayne drew her hand away before he could reach it, "Look Draco," she said fixing him with a stern and steady gaze, "I think we need to start over, forget all that happened earlier and begin afresh." She suggested, searching imploringly for his agreement.

"Okay." He said slowly and somewhat reluctantly. He'd been right, she wasn't going to make things easy, he was going to have to work for her attentions.

Rayne grinned, delighting in his reluctance but still blatant lack of any argument to the contrary. He was doing just what she wanted him to. "Good. I'll tell you what, we must be nearly there by now, how's about you show me around, do your prefectly duties and we'll see how I feel about things tomorrow."

His eye brightened at her words, she wanted him to be her guide? Well that wouldn't be so hard. He smiled and said softly, "It would be my pleasure." His voice trailed like rich velvet across her skin, leaving her grinning as her heart fluttered in her chest.

***

It wasn't long before the train began to slow as it pulled into Hogsmeade station where the usual trail of carriages were lined up waiting to take the students up to the castle. Draco and Rayne both stood to make their way to the train door, Draco in what he believed to be a gallant gesture forced and bullied his way through crowds of younger students so that they may disembark quicker. Rayne merely rolled her eyes, well he certainly had no qualms about taking command and issuing orders, whether that was such a good thing or not she had yet to decide.

Stepping out onto the damp and darkened platform Rayne inhaled deeply. All that time on the stuffy old train had made her feel drowsy, but breathing in the clean and cold air felt like a new burst of life coursing through her blood. Exhaling she watched as her breath rose in twists and curls, like a ghost in the moonlight.

Draco followed Rayne out onto the platform, drawing his cloak tightly around his shoulders against the bite of the night air. He looked for Rayne and saw her across from him, a beautiful picture beneath the silver glow of the moonlight. The stark contrast of her deathly white skin against the midnight black of her hair made his heart race. He'd never beheld a woman quite like her before, her otherworldly beauty was breathtaking as she stood almost embracing the cold of the night air.

He made his way towards her and, in a gentlemanly fashion, offered her his arm intending to escort her to one of the waiting carriages. Rayne regarded Draco and his offered arm with arched eyebrows before shaking her head as she snaked her slender arm around his, passing him a coy smile as they stepped up to the nearest black carriage. Rayne had to give Draco his props he was going out of his way to be nice, well to her at least.

He reached out and pulled open the door, holding it so that Rayne may enter ahead of him. She smiled and stepped gracefully up in to the carriage and seated herself facing forwards so that she would be able to see the approach of the castle. Rayne had noticed that the carriages were drawn by Thestrals, peculiarly skeletal winged horses, they were amazing creatures and Rayne wondered just how many of the other students were able to see them. Being of demonic blood Rayne was no stranger to death, humanity ran thin in the veins of her people, but she thought it unlikely that very many of the other students would ever have personally witnessed a death and so would not be able to see the creatures that pulled the carriages.

Rayne watched as Draco climbed in and settled into the seat beside her, passing her a smiling glance as he sat closer than was really necessary in the fairly roomy carriage. The door then opened again and two rather large and round Slytherin boys stepped in finally followed by, to Draco's obvious discomfort, Pansy.

She opened her mouth in shock, aghast when she saw that she would have to share a carriage with Draco and his strange new girl. Slumping sulkily into her seat Pansy sat glaring daggers at the both of them to Draco's discomfort and Rayne's vague amusement.

The journey up to the castle was fairly unpleasant. The atmosphere within the carriage was heavy with tension as Pansy remained in a sulky silence whilst Draco made forced conversation with the two large louts who turned out to be called Crabb and Goyle. Rayne gazed out of the window admiring the darkened landscape as it passed them by, catching brief segments of Draco's conversation and taking note of how her was carefully avoiding any mention of Rayne.

Nearing the castle gates, Rayne's eyes widened at the spectacular sight, her first ever glimpse of Hogwarts. For all of her issues about going there it certainly was a sight to admire.

The atmosphere within the carriage, however, seemed to have become all too much for Pansy to handle, "So who's your new friend then Draco?" she blurted out suddenly and shrilly, a wild and hysterical glint in her eyes.

Draco did not answer but merely narrowed his gaze at her not appreciating having been cut of mid sentence. When he remained silent Rayne locked eyes with Pansy and said, "My name is Rayne."

Pansy noted for a second the curious colour of Rayne's eyes before she shook it off as a trick of the dim light and, pouting, spat angrily; "Did I ask you?"

Rayne's rage flamed at the girl's rudeness but she swallowed back the fire, she had grown incredibly good at suppressing her temper over the years as it had often led her to trouble. "No, but perhaps you should have." She said icily, a sneer playing on her blood red lips before she turned back to the window and ignored them all for the duration of the rest of the short journey.

When the carriage drew to a halt Pansy flew out of the door and stormed up to the castle without so much as a glance back. Draco stepped out next and offered a hand to help Rayne down the steps, which she accepted, with a shake of her head. Crabb and Goyle stepped out last and with a brief 'goodbye' to Draco made their way eagerly up to the castle obviously anticipating the feast that was to come.

Rayne sighed, relishing in the cold autumn air, if only she could spend her night out in the grounds. The dark, the damp, the cold fresh air it would almost be like home. Draco caught her attention by clearing his throat before saying, "We should go up to the castle, the sorting will begin soon." Reluctantly she nodded her head and followed him along the path and up the great stone steps to the castle doors.


	6. Dinner, Suspicions and Distaste

****

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or creations by J.K Rowling etc etc

The first day is finally over and the plot is starting to get somewhere. I know in this I skipped the whole of Umbridge's speech she made in the great hall before the feast because she's not an important part of the story and I didn't feel the need to get into that.

**A/N: Edited 29/11/08**

* * *

The castle doors were thrown wide open in greeting for all of the new and returning students as the crowds all flooding up the steps and into the vast entrance hall. Rayne's eyes widened at the stunning interior of the castle, beauty to rival even the view from outside. Gleaming marble floors led to the foot of a vast staircase, the ceiling seemed impossibly high as the white stone wall climbed up, dotted with alcoves and carvings and numerous portraits. One wall was lined with four huge hourglasses, each one bore a different crest and was filled with a different colour of glimmering jewels.

Rayne felt Draco tug on her arm, drawing her out of her reverie as she gazed at her new surroundings and he moved to lead her amongst the crowd that was swarming towards the Great Hall. They joined the jostling students as everyone pushed and shoved their way through the double doors, eager to get to their house tables and reacquaint with their friends if they hadn't already done so on the train. Then of course there was the feast. As they slipped deep into the crowd Draco couldn't fail to notice how everybody seemed to unconsciously give Rayne a wide berth of space even despite the close knit crowd. Perhaps the demonic nature was far more obvious than he had first realised.

The hall was set with five long tables, each glimmering with dishes, platters, goblets and cutlery all waiting to be filled with food. The enchanted ceiling was a deep, velvety blue dotted with hundreds of glowing white stars. Rayne marvelled at the stunning effect of the ceiling, how it perfectly mirrored the sky outside, and she longed desperately to be out there so she could experience the night first hand.

The atmosphere within the hall was noisy, happy and buzzing with excitement, which set Rayne on edge. Huge surges of emotion coursed through her. It was like a newly ignited fire burning through her veins. Rayne took several deep, steady breaths, shaking with the mass of power that threatened to erupt from her body. Swallowing hard she forced back the primal instincts inside of her that were screaming for blood. How could they have sent her here? All of the people, their life forces and emotions invading her en-masse, she was like a time bomb waiting to explode.

Draco noticed Rayne's obvious tension as he led her to the table nearest the doors where many of the other Slytherins were already seated. He frowned as he saw her visibly shake, "Are you okay?" he asked trying to stifle the snort that threatened to escape his lips, _she's actually nervous, _he thought foolishly to himself.

Rayne locked her wide eyes on Draco's as his voice echoed strangely through her ears, it sounded muffled as if she were fighting to hear him through wads of cotton that were lodged in her brain. Shaking her head she forced herself to calm the raging power, it was just like suppressing her temper right? Taking another deep breath she nodded, "Yes I'm okay. I just need to get used to so many people being in the same room." She said, managing a calm tone of voice that surprised even her. Forcing a small smile to her lips she added, "I'll be fine, lets just sit down." She took the nearest seat quickly before her knees gave way and the calm and collected mask she had created was ruined.

Draco sank onto the seat beside her and looked on with concern as she fought the inner battle between her baser instincts and her better judgement. Rayne could feel his eyes resting on her and became concerned with how many other students might have noticed her peculiar behaviour. In order to save face she thought it would be best to strike up a conversation, it may even take her mind off of the screaming inside her head that was begging her for bloodshed. She fixed her amethyst gaze onto Draco's and said, "So tell me who all of the teachers are." She nodded towards the staff table where there was an array of very different staff members all seated and waiting for the festivities to commence.

He arched an eyebrow at her, thinking that she was trying to distract him from enquiring further about what was troubling her, but he vaguely shook his head and turned to look up at the staff table. "Well," he began haughtily, "The large, blundering oaf on the end is Hagrid. He teaches Care of Magical Creatures, and I use the word teaches in the loosest possible sense. I wouldn't advise taking his class unless you want a serious injury. A couple of years ago I was viciously attacked by a Hippogriff and you know my arm has never been quite the same since." He paused and looked back at Rayne, she wondered if he was looking for sympathy.

Rayne merely nodded slowly and replied, "Well I may just take my chances if it means being out in the grounds."

He smirked at her; "Yes I've noticed how you seem to like the outdoors."

"We all do," she replied, not liking the smirk that was curved on his lips, "we don't do well being cooped up, unless it is the middle of summer. All of the stereotypes are true we like the dark, the damp and the cold, that's why I was put into Slytherin they thought I'd like it better in the dungeons." Her gaze was harsh as she locked eyes with him causing the smirk to melt off of his face.

"I see." Draco said with a slight cough before he turned back to the staff table to resume his narrative on each professor. "Well then you'll probably like Herbology too then. Professor Sprout teaches that, she's the short, dumpy woman there," he said pointing towards her, "always has dirt under her fingernails that woman. The one who should be seated next to Hagrid is Professor McGonagall. Not an altogether bad teacher but she's head of Gryffindor house so of course she always favours them." He exaggerated, "Then I'm not too sure about who that stubby, toad like woman is," his lips curled at the sight of her before he came to a conclusion, "but she must be the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, they never last more than a year. Next to her, you must know already, is that barmy old fool Dumbledore. Then the little man is Flitwick, he teaches charms. But most importantly is Professor Snape." Draco said pointing towards a stern, grim faced, black haired man near the end of the table. "He's the potions master and head of Slytherin. By far the best teacher in the school and a personal friend of my fathers." Draco boasted whilst Rayne merely nodded.

The sudden re-opening of the halls double doors cut off their conversation and, a figure who Rayne assumed to be Professor McGonagall appeared leading a long line of terrified looking first years up to the front of the hall, it was time for the sorting.

***

After each first year had stepped forward, nervously put on the sorting hat and been given over to their respective houses Professor Dumbledore rose from his seat and the hall fell in to silence. "I would like to welcome you all back to another year at Hogwarts. I shall make my words brief, as I know you are all eagerly awaiting the start of the feast. We give welcome this year to Professor Umbridge who will be taking over the post of Defence Against the Dark Arts, I am sure you will all make her feel welcome." He gestured to the squat; toad faced woman beside him and grinned a little too enthusiastically to be considered genuine. He then continued on, his soft voice ringing throughout the hall. "I would also like to inform and remind you that the Dark Forest in the grounds is out of bounds to all students and as usual a revised list of all of the banned items can be found on the back of Mr Filch's office door. Now without any further ado, let the feast begin."

With those words all of the platters and dishes on each table filled with glorious amounts of food and the level of chatter began to rise again as everybody ate their fill.

Once the plates had all been cleared and the chatter was beginning to slow as the want for sleep began to invade most of the students, Dumbledore rose once again from his seat. "Now that we have all filled our stomachs I shall waste no further time in bidding you all a goodnight. Sleep well and wake tomorrow refreshed and ready to begin a new term. Prefects will you please escort the first years to your common rooms and then report to your head of house for any further notices and instructions."

There was a sudden mass rattle of moving benches and a regular call of 'first years this way' as people began to file out of the Great Hall.

***

Draco leaned in towards Rayne, "Follow me, I'll show you how to get to the common room and then you should probably come and see Professor Snape with me." He gestured for her to stand and follow as he herded a frightened string of first years out of the hall and down a flight of steps towards the dungeons.

Rayne stood and followed gratefully without a word, glad to be leaving the atmosphere of the hall behind. Though she had successfully fought back her instincts they were still screaming inside her head begging for bloodshed. She followed as Draco led them all swiftly down various passages and staircases into deeper parts of the dungeons, regularly looking back to check that Rayne was still following in between the harsh shouted commandments he directed towards the first years. She smiled to herself, glad that he was watching out for her all the stairs and corridors had her confused and all of the demonic power in the world wouldn't help you get to class on time if you happened to get lost.

Suddenly Draco halted in his stride before what seemed to be a dead end, "Right," he drawled loudly, "This is the entrance to the common room, through here you'll find your dormitories. The password is 'Emerald Moon'," at those words a door slid open revealing the entrance to the Slytherin common room though Draco continued to block the doorway not finished with his speech yet, "Don't forget it and don't get lost." He commanded before stepping away from the doorway and pushing his way through the gathered crowd of first years. He grasped a hold of Rayne's arm, "Come with me, we'll go and pay Professor Snape a visit." He said with a grin.

Not giving Rayne a chance to reply Draco steered her back along the corridor and through a door into yet another dungeon passage, it was going to take Rayne forever to learn all of these routes around the castle and she'd still only seen the dungeons. Draco walked swiftly and Rayne struggled to match his stride and keep up, her certainly was keen for her to meet this Professor Snape.

Abruptly he came to a halt in front of a dark wooden door and raised his hand to rap sharply on the wooden surface with his knuckles, they then stood silently waiting to be admitted.

"Come in Draco," a chillingly smooth voice echoed through the wood of the door and Draco smirked as he pushed it open.

"How did you know it was me sir?" Draco asked in an insincere questioning tone, either already knowing the answer or not really caring, to the tall, dark figure that stood with his back to the door.

"Because all of the other Prefects have been to see me already. They tell me you enjoy commanding the first years." Snape replied turning from where he was examining various rows of glass jars that lined his shelves to look at the two of them. His dark eyes narrowed when they set upon Rayne having not expected to see anybody but Draco in his office.

The characteristic smirk still playing on his lips, Draco shrugged and replied, "Well Sir, they learn quicker if you start teaching them early." His airy tone melted into a cruel chuckle before he noticed where Professor Snape's eyes had come to rest; damn he should have introduced her already. "Professor this is Rayne the new Slytherin addition."

Snape sneered at her, "Then why is she not in the common room with the rest of the first years?" he asked in a silkily patronising tone of voice that set Rayne's temper flaring.

She couldn't take much more of this today, anymore snide remarks passed her way and she would be after blood. It was becoming all too much to cope with. She bared her teeth in irritation and hissed, "Do I look like one of the first years? Surely you have been informed of my coming Professor." She practically spat the final word in her irritation.

Snape scowled at her, "You want to watch your mouth and show me some respect, I am your Professor, not to mention your Head of House." He snapped.

Rayne sighed, biting her tongue to prevent the reply that she really wanted to give from spilling over her lips. "I apologise sir. But I ask that you also show some respect to me and my boundaries, I'm sure you can appreciate the unusual position I have been put in here." Her tone was biting and she showed no fear in looking him directly in the eyes, she was accepting but not easily forgiving.

Holding her strong and stern gaze for a few seconds he nodded curtly and said, "Very well miss…?"

"No Miss, just Rayne." She said simply to his questioning look.

"Rayne." He didn't look at all comfortable addressing by her first name, but he accepted it none the less. "I have indeed been forewarned of your attendance at the school and I must say I think it a bad error of judgement to have you here. But nonetheless whilst you are here you shall be welcomed as a part of my house. I take it that Draco was the one who suggested you come here with him?"

"Thank you sir." Rayne said briefly and insincerely before nodding, "yes, he seemed to think you'd want to see me." She answered him whilst Draco nodded in agreement.

"Quite. Well I must admire your good choice in companions and I am sure that Draco will do his very best to acquaint you with life here at Hogwarts." Snape said as he sank gracefully into the chair behind his desk and gazed over the tips of his steepled fingers.

"Of course Sir." Draco agreed with a smirk.

"Good. Now perhaps Miss, er Rayne you could give me and Mr Malfoy a moment or two to discuss a few things." He said gesturing her to the door with a nonchalant wave of his hand.

Rayne turned and breezed out of the room without a word, her temper was still cooling and she didn't trust what she might say in reply. Shutting the door forcefully behind her she leaned against the cool wood breathing hard. She was not enjoying this experience at all and would really have to get a hold on her temper and emotions if she was going to last at the school for long enough to get things done. Many more days like this one and the wizarding world would be reminded of why the demons were banished in the first place.

As she breathed to calm the fiery rage that was coursing through her Rayne found that she could hear their voices through the thick wooden panel of the door. Standing silently she listened in on what Snape and Draco were discussing.

"So what do you think sir?" Draco asked eagerly.

"Of what?" Came the silky reply.

"Of Rayne?"

"She seems interesting. Not quite what I'd been expecting but she is a demon not anything spectacular." Snape answered in a board tone of voice and Rayne scowled at his words.

"The power she has though is incredible." Draco replied, desire husking his voice.

"I'd hardly think so Draco," Snape dismissed, "at her age she'd have little more power than the average witch."

"No, it's nothing like that at all I felt it. I felt the power she has surge through me." Draco explained earnestly.

"What do you mean you felt it?" Snape inquired.

"I felt it. Something pulsed through my fingers and crawled over my skin when I touched that strange glyph on her arm." Rayne's breath caught in her chest as she heard Draco's words. It had been a mistake to show him that, he didn't understand it's significance but she was sure that Snape, considering his age and probable experience and knowledge of the world or magic, would have some idea of what it meant.

"A glyph on her arm?" Snape repeated making sure he understood correctly, "what do you mean, what did it look like?" Rayne closed her eyes in dismay. Snape did know something or he suspected at least, if he worked it out it could ruin everything.

"It was a circular shape with five straight lines running through it at the points of a star. Why do you know what it's all about sir?"

"I may have some idea yes Draco. Go on, you say that you felt her power when you touched this glyph." Snape prompted.

"Yes. It was an incredible sensation like nothing I've ever felt before. She mentioned something about an order, the Blood I think she called them." Rayne bit her lip hard to resist the rage that was building inside of her once again. It was her own stupid fault for telling him all of that but did he have to go and brag about it to his teacher? Especially one that gave the impression that Snape did, he wasn't one to be trusted.

"I see." Snape said silkily running all the facts that Draco had given him through his head. Something about it all was very familiar, but he couldn't quite put his finger on what it was. "Well Draco you had probably better go. Keep a close eye on her and keep me updated will you?"

"So you think so too then sir? That she may prove to be a valuable asset?" Draco asked.

"Perhaps." Came the simple, smooth reply before Rayne moved away from the door.

The next second Draco stood before her and met with Rayne's fiery gaze. "Valuable asset?" She spat viciously, "Valuable asset? What do you think I am Draco a fucking pet? A toy you can play with and then dispose of when I'm no use to you anymore?" Rayne questioned angrily. "You disappoint me Draco Malfoy you really do!" She said with a shake of her head before turning on her heel and storming off down the corridor.

He wanted her to be an 'asset' to whatever it was they had planned? No it would not happen, she couldn't be an asset to somebody else's plan it would spoil everything. She'd been hoping that Draco would take an interest in her, desire her power and prove to be trustworthy enough to be let in on the reality behind her being there. She'd obviously been delusional to believe that he would accept and not have his own motives, not a character like Draco.

Sighing Rayne stopped walking and found that she had somehow reached the entrance to the Slytherin common room. Not quite sure how she managed to get there when she'd been paying no attention at all to where she was walking but now that she was there bed sounded incredibly appealing. "Emerald moon." She said dejectedly and she stalked through the fairly empty common room to the foot of some stairs leading to the dormitory labelled '5th year girls'. Climbing the stairs Rayne swung open the door and sank onto one of the large four-poster beds, at the foot of which lay her ornate carved black trunk. Drawing the deep green hangings around her she sighed in the pleasant seclusion, today had not gone as planned, _I just hope tomorrow proves to be more successful._


	7. UnMalfoy like Behaviour

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or creations by J.K Rowling etc etc

Things are starting to heat up and I am promising plenty of Lemons to come in the next chapter.

Also if things are a little confusing about Rayne and why she's so concerned about Snape finding 'things' out well all will be revealed in later chapters. You will find out the same time that Draco does, until then all I shall reveal is that her 'story' at the beginning was not entirely true and there is a little more to how and why she is at Hogwarts.

A/N: Edited 29/11/08

* * *

Un-Malfoy like Behaviour

Draco awoke early the next morning, so early that the sun had barely risen over the castle and the dungeon common room was still deserted. He'd tried earnestly all night to get some sleep but had failed to block out the fitful thoughts and concerns that had been rioting inside of his head long enough to let him rest. As he saw the first rays of artificial sunlight begin to filter their way through the hangings around his bed Draco resigned himself to getting up.

Grabbing a towel and clean clothes he headed down to the bathroom for a shower whilst it was still quiet. Roughly he twisted the taps and stepped beneath the warm flow of water, closing his eyes and sighing as it caressed his skin. It soothed his tired and aching muscles but did nothing to ease his sulky and irritable attitude. He had royally fucked things up with Rayne last night, she'd been furious with him and he, once again, found himself wanting her acceptance and forgiveness. Angrily he scrubbed shampoo through his white blonde locks, _how the fuck am I going to sort this mess out?_

He shouldn't have insisted she go and see Snape with him, but he just couldn't resist showing her off could he? "Valuable asset," he muttered viciously, how callous could he have been? And knowing she was right outside of the room. "I've been such a fool." He said quietly to himself, throwing his head back against the marble tiles of the shower wall, shutting his eyes tightly against the harsh lash of the water on his face.

After a few moments Draco began to hear shuffling and muted conversation outside of the door, the rest of the house was getting up. Sighing he stepped out of the shower, killing the flow of water as he left. He wrapped the towel around his waist and went to pick up his clothes and his wand. Using a drying charm he dropped the towel unceremoniously to the floor and proceeded to dress in his school clothes before standing in front of the mirror to sort out his hair.

Satisfied that he looked perfect enough Draco smirked and headed out of the bathroom, depositing his laundry in the hamper on his way past, _well at least something's going right, _he thought knowing full well just how good he looked.

Fully dressed and groomed Draco gathered his bag and hurried out of the common room and up to the Great Hall without so much as a word to anybody, _there has got to be some way to rectify this._

***

Rayne too had spent a fitful night. Ranging between bouts of rage that left her too inflamed to sleep until they'd properly cooled and slipping into dreams of flesh, blood and pain coupled with numerous, rather compromising, images of Draco that left her uncomfortable and confused.

Pale shafts of what looked like sunlight had begun to filter through the small gaps between the hangings on her bed and the sounds of her classmates leaving the dormitory around her caused Rayne to grimace in the realisation that it was morning already. Slowly she forced herself into a sitting position and groaned at the violent pounding inside her head, a result of too much stress and nowhere near enough sleep. Groggily she pulled open the hangings and screwed up her eyes against the bright sunlight that streamed in through the enchanted windows.

"Well look at the state of you." She heard an irritatingly bright but snide voice shoot at her. Cracking her eyes Rayne met with Pansy's well presented, if still not particularly attractive, form.

Rayne ignored the snippiness of the comment and said, "What time is it?" Her voice was harsh in her tired and dishevelled state but she didn't care what Pansy, of all people, thought of her.

"You'd better hurry, there's only twenty minutes of breakfast left." She snapped airily before breezing swiftly out of the room.

"Shit." Rayne muttered, forcing her resisting body out of bed. Taking a glance in a nearby mirror she hated to admit it but Pansy was right, she did look a state. Her skin was greyish, opposed to its usual brilliant white, her lips were dark and cold, her sleek raven locks were in tangles and her eyes were as pale as lavender.

Shaking her head Rayne flipped open the lid to her trunk and pulled out a set of clean clothes for the day and then, digging deeper, she extracted a fairly large vial of a thick, dark red substance which she promptly uncorked and swallowed the lot. She dressed quickly, ran a brush through her long black hair and, picking up her bag, hurried up to the Great Hall hoping she would make it in time for a coffee.

***

Draco was already seated at the Slytherin table when Rayne walked into the hall; he was sat looking sulky as he pushed the food around on his plate, never once raising it to his lips.

Pansy had seated herself beside him looking decidedly smug after seeing Rayne in the state she'd looked that morning. She was sure there was no way Rayne would make it to breakfast looking anywhere near half decent, _it must take hours to perfect that white makeup she puts on her face, _Pansy thought ignorantly, hoping that Draco would soon realise he'd been very much mistaken with all of the things he'd said on the train. However Pansy's vain hopes were shattered when Rayne swiftly glided into the Great Hall looking every bit as immaculate as she had done the previous day.

Whatever she had drunk from that vial had worked wonders, her eyes, lips and skin were all bright and glowing, her long black hair shimmered in the morning sunshine and she appeared to be completely revitalised despite such an obvious lack of sleep.

Pansy's jaw dropped at the sight of her as Rayne gracefully seated herself on one of the opposite benches near to where she and Draco were sat. _How on earth did she manage that? _Pansy screamed inside her head as she noticed in frustration that Draco was watching Rayne with raised eyebrows as she helped herself to some coffee.

Rayne quietly smirked at the look of horror on Pansy's face; it certainly was a wonder what a small amount of human blood could achieve. Unlike a vampire Rayne did not need blood to survive, no she ate much like a human does, but she did have an instinctive craving for it and when taken it could have amazing benefits.

Sweeping her eyes to the right she locked her gaze with Draco's for a few brief seconds before he dropped his eyes. In those brief seconds the images she'd seen over and over in her dreams last night began to flood back. Her heart fluttered in her chest as she feasted on his appearance. He did look good, even with that sulky expression, but just seeing him alone wasn't enough to make her forget his words last night. An asset, that's all he thought of her as, and now Snape was going to be sticking his overly large nose where it wasn't wanted. No she'd have to forget him and do what she was required to before it was too late.

With a resigned sigh she looked away from him and gazed into the depths of her coffee cup, rejecting the thought of food. Not after the blood she had taken, they didn't sit well together and the alone caffeine would suffice to keep her going until lunchtime.

She was drawn out of her thoughts by the sound of Professor Snape making his way up and down the table with a large pile of parchment in his hand. He met Rayne with an icy smile, which made her somewhat nervous, handed over to her one sheet of the parchment on which was drawn her weekly timetable and then carried on down the table.

She'd smiled at him warily in response and hastily looked away with the pretence of examining her timetable, his knowing gaze set Rayne on edge. Scanning her amethyst eyes across the page Rayne looked to see how she would be spending her day. The morning looked promising at least with both Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures that meant that her entire morning would be spent out in the grounds. The afternoon however was a little more disappointing, Defence Against the Dark Arts followed by double Potions. An entire two hours of having to endure Snape's knowing glances, plus he was bound to pair her with Malfoy so that he could 'keep and eye on her' as he'd put it last night. Still, dropping the parchment into a pocket on her robes, she'd pass each bridge as she came to it.

Draco watched coyly as after she'd caught his gaze Rayne proceeded to ignore him. He was trying his best to ignore Pansy's sulky and jealous comments that she insisted on rattling off at him. Snape approached with Draco's new timetable in his hand and had obviously noticed the animosity between the two. Leaning down to hand Draco the sheet of parchment he muttered, "You've not spoiled things with her I hope."

Draco chewed his lip nervously before he hissed a hushed reply, "A minor set back, nothing I can't deal with." But his words were far more confident than he actually felt about the situation.

"You'd better Draco," Snape added menacingly, "If my suspicions are correct then her 'friendship' could prove to be vital." He then straightened and continued to stalk back down the length of the table distributing the timetables.

Draco swallowed hard and flicked his eyes back up to look at Rayne, she thankfully hadn't noticed the hushed words between himself and Snape, being too involved in studying her own timetable. He needed to apologise to her to rectify things and soon. He grimaced at the thought, but Draco was going to have to swallow his pride and grovel, the thought of such un-Malfoy like behaviour began to make him feel sick.

Rayne glanced down at the time, reading it off of the brushed silver watch that was coiled tightly around her right wrist. It was almost time for classes to begin and a quick glance around her showed many of the other students already filing out of the hall and heading to various parts of the castle. Tipping the remainder of her coffee between her lips Rayne stood, putting her cup down with a clatter, picked up her bag and began to head out of the hall.

Draco noticed that Rayne was making to leave and, shoving his plate roughly away from him, he stood intending to follow.

"Draco!" He heard his name shouted shrilly from behind him, "You're not even listening to me."

He groaned and turned to glare angrily at Pansy, "Look Pansy just shut the fuck up, I don't care." He said harshly before grabbing his bag and hastily making to follow Rayne out of the Hall.

"Rayne." He called when he was just a few steps behind her.

She closed her eyes and bit her lip to resist the want to turn around and hear what he had to say. She kept on walking determinedly, she had to ignore him, forget him, he would lead her to trouble and he couldn't know any more not with Snape hanging around.

Draco rolled his eyes when she ignored him and reached out to grab her arm. Pulling her around to face him they both stopped walking to the side of the Grand Staircase and locked eyes with each other. "Rayne look, listen to me," Draco said a little unsure of how to do this, "Please." He added.

Rayne sighed and chewed on her lower lip, making it redder than it already was before nodding indicating that he should proceed. She would hear him out at least.

A wash of relief passed over him as she conceded to listen to him but then Draco was faced with a problem what should he say? Apologising and grovelling were alien territories to him. "What I said last night, that wasn't how I meant it, it was a bad choice of words I don't see you like that at all." He said, his words a slight babble but for a beginner at this sort of thing he didn't start out too bad.

"Then how _do_ you see me Draco?" Rayne asked, her voice cold and stern. She would hear the real truth out of him yet.

"A friend," he said softly reaching out to grasp one of her delicate hands in his. "More than a friend?" He gazed imploringly into the amethyst pools that were her eyes.

Rayne forced back her smile at his words and instead asked in a slightly strained voice, "And why should I trust you?"

"Because I mean it. Because I've never done this for anyone before. You're different from all of the others Rayne." _And if you don't Snape is likely to kill me._

She pulled her hand away from his and sighed, still unconvinced by his words. The danger he'd put her in after last night was too great to overlook just because Draco Malfoy had never grovelled to somebody before, whether he understood it or not.

He could sense her reluctance to accept his word and so pressed on, "Rayne, you and me we could have something great. Something too good to just throw away over some stupid comments, lets just forget it and start again."

_Haven't we been here before? _Rayne thought to herself. She sighed, "Draco for a start there is no You and I to speak of, I believe we forgot all of that the first time we went through this. Second I don't think you quite understand how serious this is. Before last night things could have been promising but after everything you told Snape, well, I can't afford to risk it."

Draco stood in confusion, not at all sure what she had meant. All he was sure of was that he'd been rejected and he didn't like how it felt one bit. "Rayne come on, it's too good an opportunity to just pass up on." He tried coaxing.

She merely rolled her eyes and started to turn away, amazing how egotistical he could been even when begging for forgiveness. "Forget it Draco, it's not going to happen." She said, with some reluctance, and made to walk away from him.

From behind him Draco heard a patronising laugh, "Nice one Malfoy, very smooth," A voice said. Looking behind him Draco scowled it was Potter and the Weasel. He'd never hear the end of it if they saw him crash and burn like this. "Yeah and here's us thinking you were a ladies man." The Weasel taunted sardonically and Draco fumed.

Not thinking clearly Draco strode forwards and grabbed Rayne by the arm. She was about to complain when he suddenly turned her around and pulled her close against him, fastening his lips against hers in a bruisingly passionate kiss.

She resisted for a second but soon melted away into the sensation of those full, soft lips against hers and the heat from his body as he pulled her closer. Raising her arms she wrapped them around his shoulders, twisting her fingers into his soft, platinum locks.

Draco delighted as she gave in to him and pulled her closer still as she twined her fingers through his hair. He ran his tongue teasingly across her lips and moaned softly when she parted them allowing him to snake his tongue inside.

All the images from her dreams flashed before Rayne's eyes once again now seeming to be a very real possibility. As he deepened the kiss Rayne sighed softly at what she had come so very close to missing out on. How could she have considered rejecting him? It just couldn't be done, he was a Malfoy and they always got what they wanted in the end.

Softly Draco broke the kiss but kept Rayne locked tight against his body, "So what do you say, shall we start over?" He asked in a breathless whisper.

Rayne simply nodded in reply, a grin spreading on her face. Fuck the dangers and consequences she knew what she wanted and would be damned if she'd let anything interfere with that. What sort of demon would she be if she valued what was expected of her over personal pleasure?


	8. Caught in the Act

Disclaimer: Same as all of the other chapters...

**Warning: **This chapter contains the first of the lemons if you don't like it skip it.

This chapter is a little bitty with things happeneing all over the place, the important part is at the end but I didn't want the whole chapter about that else it would have been very short so please bare with the bittiness.

A/N: Edited 28/11/08

* * *

Caught in the Act

For Rayne most of the first school day passed without too many incidents. The morning out in the grounds had been simply wonderful, the air was fresh and cold. A faint, damp mist hung just above the ground so whilst all the other students stood in huddled groups, shivering and stamping their feet, Rayne relished in the cold wash of air as it bathed her flesh, extinguishing all the fires that had raged within her since yesterday.

She felt wonderfully elated at having given in to Draco's insistence, it didn't feel at all like being beaten down on the contrary it felt empowering. He had to be a greatly powerful wizard if that was the magic he could work on her with just his lips. The thought of having to ignore him, of eventually having to…

No, it wasn't to bare thinking about. Everything would be just perfect now, Rayne had Draco just where she wanted him and was certain that she could 'sway' him into supporting her then he would still be there at the end of it all. Yes it would all be perfect, just so long as Snape didn't interfere.

Most of the classes passed without Rayne receiving any great deal of unwanted attention. Naturally introductions were made but to most she was just another Slytherin, just another poor girl that Draco Malfoy had managed to ensnare, 'she'll learn eventually,' they'd all thought pityingly.

***

Defence Against the Dark Arts was the only lesson that was causing Rayne any concern. All of the rest hadn't involved the use of a wand and so she'd been safe from the anticipated barrage of questions, but DADA? That would surely require wand usage and Rayne's inability to use one would surely become a questionable issue with her classmates. However to her relief, and the disgusted groans of the rest of the class, it turned out that the entire subject had become theory based by order of the ministry. Rayne resisted a chuckle at the idiocy of the idea, they really did have a bunch of incompetent fools employed there, but it would certainly make her life a lot easier, in class as well as elsewhere.

The lesson passed fairly easily, with not a single wand in sight. Perhaps Rayne could have herself a pleasant first day and face the questioning tomorrow, maybe by then she'd have developed some good answers for them too. All seemed to have been gone well until the end of the lesson came and Professor Umbridge requested a word with Rayne after the class had been dismissed.

With Draco indicating that he would wait outside for her, surely to ensure that she didn't get lost on her way to potions, Rayne approached the desk at the front of the class to be greeted by a broad and insincere smile.

"Have a seat please Miss." Umbridge said in her sickly sweet, high-pitched tone.

Rayne rolled her eyes, why did everyone insist on calling her Miss? She only had one name, she wasn't Miss something she was just Rayne. Sinking gracefully into the indicated seat Rayne crossed her long legs, laced her fingers across her stomach and fixed Umbridge with a hard, enquiring gaze.

"The Headmaster has informed me only recently of your unique position here at Hogwarts Miss…um?"

She sighed, "Rayne. Not Miss anything, you have no last name for me on your list because one does not exist I am just Rayne." She said exasperatedly.

"I see." Umbridge said with a frown as she noted something down on a sheet of pink coloured parchment. "Well then Rayne allow me to inform you that I am not happy about your appointment to Hogwarts. You are the sort of thing that we teach students about in this class, not something that should be sharing it with them." Her tone was no longer sickly sweet, it was blunt and matter of fact.

Rayne's eyes narrowed at the Professor across the desk, how dare she insult her like that. Like an active volcano Rayne felt the rage begin to burn her insides threatening to erupt.

"Let me assure you," Umbridge went on, "that I will take it into my power to do everything I can to have you removed."

"Your ministry agreed to my being placed here. Besides you do not have that sort of power and Dumbledore accepted me willingly." Rayne bit at her bluntly, her voice remaining steady despite her enflamed temper.

"Yes, well, I don't know what you had done to them but the ministry would never, under normal circumstances, allow a creature like you into a school." Umbridge replied hastily in the ministry's defence. "And Dumbledore does seem to have a dangerous love of half-breeds. Just look at that Game Keeper, he can't be totally human and then there was that werewolf he had employed. It's a complete disgrace."

Rayne shot out of her seat and slammed the palms of her hand down on the surface of Umbridge's desk. That had been the last straw, Half-breed indeed. "Let me tell you something Professor." She said dangerously, leaning over the desk to close the gap between them. "I am no Half-breed, I am as pure blooded a demon as you will ever find." Her voice was deadly quiet as her pupils began to creep outwards, swallowing all the colour of her eyes in an empty blackness. "So if I were you Professor I would desist in your insults."

Umbridge looked on in horror, unable to tear her gaze away from the terrifying black voids that Rayne's eyes had become. "You… you're a monster." She stuttered stupidly, her toad like mouth gaping. Swallowing hard at her fear Umbridge groped clumsily for her wand on the desk.

Rayne snarled at Umbridge's movements and raised her right palm off of the desk. She felt the familiar flickering warmth as a glowing orange ball of flames materialised in her hand, drawing it from her anger, her burning rage made tangible and solid. In one swift movement Rayne directed the flames towards Umbridge with a flick of her wrist, she then turned and stormed out of the classroom.

Umbridge sat with eyes wide in horror, her mouth agape shaping silent and formless words as a few strands of hair continued to smoulder from where the flames had whistled passed her ear. The last thing she knew was the sound of the classroom door slamming behind Rayne before Umbridge passed out.

***

Potions passed fairly smoothly and, after the incident in DADA, was a reasonably pleasant ending for Rayne's first day at school. Snape had indeed paired Rayne with Draco as she'd suspected, to the reception of a satisfied smirk from Draco and an irritated, sulky huff from where Pansy had been hopefully saving him a seat. Even the two hours with Snape in the vicinity wasn't so bad, he seemed to have too much of his time occupied by picking on various Gryffindors and deducting house points to pay Rayne too much attention.

He passed one or two satisfied glances towards Draco, obviously pleased that their little rift had been mended. Rayne frowned as she came to the realisation of how Draco was merely playing the pawn in whatever it was Snape was formulating. Glancing over his handsome features, steady in concentration, she felt a pang of pity and perhaps even a small sense of protectiveness. _He'll understand in the end, _she thought to herself, _when the time comes he'll understand it all and I know that he'll choose the right path._

***

After dinner Draco had escorted Rayne back to the Slytherin common room door. She still wasn't certain on her way around, the place was rather like a maze, but he'd have still done it either way. Standing before the hidden stone doorway he reached for her and Rayne stepped into his warm and strong embrace. He leaned in and engulfed her in a kiss that was softer than the one they'd shared that morning but still not lacking any of the passion. Rayne sighed, he could enchant her with just one kiss, she didn't stand a chance.

His arms were snaked tightly around her waist, trailing caressing fingers along her spine, sending wonderful shivers through her flesh. His tongue delicately explored her mouth and she caressed it with her own, entwining her fingers through his silk like hair. But all too soon Draco broke away, leaving with a gentle bite to her lower lip, "I've got to go and do my rounds." He said softly.

Rayne frowned, puzzled by what he'd said, "Your what?"

He smirked, "My 'prefectly duties' remember?"

She grinned at her own inanity, it was his kisses they melted her brain into mush. "You'll wait in the common room for me?" He asked coaxingly, planting fluttering kisses along her jaw line.

"Of course." How could she refuse? She wasn't sure what he'd done to her, but she was most certainly under his spell. Wasn't it supposed to be the other way around? She'd have to get a grip on herself before he came back, let him know she was really the one in charge.

***

Rayne had commandeered herself a large comfortable chair before a low table, over which she had spread numerous rolls of parchment, quills, inkbottles and textbooks. She couldn't believe the amount of homework they'd been given on the first day of term but now, since Draco wasn't there to 'distract' her, seemed like the best time to tackle it.

The common room was filled with a great deal of noise, old friends catching up after the summer break, first years getting to know one another, nobody seemed to have homework on their minds except for Rayne. At one point Pansy had looked over her mockingly, commenting on how Draco would come to his senses when he realises that Rayne was a 'goody-two-shoes, know it all like that Granger girl.' Rayne rolled her eyes at Pansy's pettiness, though she couldn't help but feel smugly victorious at having Draco for herself, especially when it had been he who was so desperate for Rayne to accept and forgive him.

An hour or so more passed and Rayne was beginning to roll up her final scroll of parchment when Draco burst in through the common room door. He wore a smug and satisfied grin on his face as he crossed the common room, ignoring the hopeful glances that Pansy shot at him, to sit beside Rayne. She glanced up from packing away her things to see him sinking haughtily into the chair. With a smirk she said, "Had a good evening I take it?"

"Extremely." He grinned at her, "I swear those first years get more and more idiotic each year. The house cup is in the bag for us this year if they carry on this way." He explained.

Rayne nodded and proceeded with clearing the table of her school things, he'd obviously enjoyed himself docking points from every house in the school save from Slytherin. Being made a prefect really must have been a dream come true for him.

"Though if I were you, I'd watch out." He said leaning in closer to whisper, "Snape is bound to be on the warpath once he finds out what you did to Umbridge."

Rayne scowled, "Well she should have known better than to insult me. Half-breed indeed." She hissed indignantly.

Draco chuckled, "Well I don't think anyone will dare piss you off once they hear about it." He reached out and ran a trailing finger down her cheek, tilting her chin so she would meet his lips in a soft glancing kiss. At the sight of this Pansy stalked up the stairs to the girls dormitory in disgust, followed closely by the group of friends with which she had been gathered on the large sofa beside the fire. Noticing this with a grin, Draco stood up tomove and stretched himself languidly across the newly vacated couch. He beckoned for Rayne to join him. Her breath caught in her chest at the thought of sinking into those strong arms, of being held tightly against his body. She smiled and slowly stood to head towards him, he looked so inviting the way he lay, casually fixing her with a coaxing silver gaze.

She swallowed hard, she'd not refuse him of course but this time she'd not simply turn to mush at his touch, he'd be reminded that he couldn't control her. Gliding swiftly across the common room floor Rayne sank gracefully into his waiting arms, where he promptly engulfed her in a possessive embrace. Shifting so her body lay partially below him he gazed at her beauty, perfect porcelain skin, stark and white against the midnight outline of her hair, lips temptingly full and soft, Draco licked his own hungrily at the sight of them. He was a great 'lover' of women, everybody knew that and he wasn't often overly picky so long as they did what he wanted with little or no argument. Yet he'd never before beheld someone who could fuel his desires by sight alone they way Rayne could. Perhaps it was the hidden knowledge of her being so darkly powerful that set Draco's lusts alight, but she was also extraordinarily beautiful.

She curved one arm across his back and proceeded to stroke small and soft caresses along his spine, the other hand she swept across his shoulder, fingers leading teasing trails up his neck before snaking themselves around the soft tendrils of his white blonde hair. Her eyes were a deep, dark purple, pupils dilating with lust as she caught his gaze as his own eyes roamed her body. Draco sighed throatily, a wicked glint shining in his silver-grey eyes, and he lowered his lips to catch Rayne in another perfect kiss.

Their lips collided in a bruising frenzy of passion, Rayne grazed his with her teeth before snaking her tongue inside his mouth, delighting in the rough scrape of his teeth and the gentle caress of his own tongue. Draco groaned as Rayne deepened the kiss, lavishing in her forwardness and her obvious desire for him. He trailed a hand down her cheek, pausing to tease the delicate skin of her neck before continuing down to her chest. He felt her nipple harden beneath her clothes in response to his softly exploring fingers, he caressed her breast gently before grasping her erect nipple between thumb and finger and pinching, hard.

Rayne arched her back at the sensation, breaking the kiss to gasp as bolts of painful pleasure radiated out from the nipple Draco continued to pinch and twist roughly. He caught her lips again in an instant, not wanting to give her the chance to tell him to stop, this time allowing his own tongue to slip exploringly into her mouth. He felt Rayne's surprisingly strong hands move to grasp his waist and pull his body tightly against her own, revealing to her his obvious arousal.

She smiled into his lips when she felt his hard length press against the flat of her stomach. She reached down and let her hands begin a rough trail up the backs of his thighs, digging her fingers into his taut flesh. Travelling up and over his firm backside Rayne continued her harsh caress beneath his shirt, dragging her long nails across the flesh of his back leaving long, red scratches on his perfect, pale skin.

Draco groaned at the sharp cut of Rayne's nails on his flesh, thrusting his hips against her to create some friction against his throbbing hardness. At this Rayne removed her lips from his and smirked, shifting her position so that their hips were no longer touching. Draco frowned but, leaning in to trace kisses along her neck and jaw line, he began to pull her back towards him. Just as their hips made the barest contact Rayne once again moved away from him. Draco moaned in frustration, "You're being cruel." He muttered quietly.

She smirked mischievously, casting a quick glance around at the now deserted common room. "Oh cruel am I Mr Malfoy?" She said softly, holding his gaze as she began to teasingly stroke her delicate fingers up and down his hard length. The slightest of touches through layers of clothing, she knew she was teasing and it was fun to see him squirm.

Draco closed his eyes and swallowed hard at the sensation, she _was_ being cruel, he didn't like to be teased it meant he had no control. Her touch wasn't enough, he wanted more, wanted to be free of his clothes that were inhibiting the sensations of her teasing fingers, he wanted so much to plead with her but his pride held him back. He'd begged for forgiveness already today there was no way in hell he'd beg her for sex. Biting his lip he allowed Rayne to continue her teasing ministrations.

Rayne could read it in his face, he was fighting something, holding something back. Shifting closer she applied greater pressure to her strokes, smirking at the moan Draco failed to stifle. "Tell me Draco," she whispered, her lips grazing his ear as she spoke, "what is it that you want?"

He groaned, louder this time, and grasped her chin in one hand, pulling her into a rough kiss, "I want you to stop the teasing," he said kissing her again, "I want you to touch me, I want to feel your flesh against mine." He poured out, it wasn't begging it was commanding and he was delighted that she had asked him.

She wasn't at all surprised by his forcefulness as he commanded her to do as he wanted, but she grinned nonetheless knowing he desired her and that he had, albeit unwittingly, given her control. She reached for the button and zip fastening on the front of his trousers and struggled for a moment with the tightly straining fabric before she succeeded in opening them. Beneath, Draco was wearing a pair of black, silk boxer shorts just as Rayne had been expecting, only the best for Draco. They felt wonderfully soft beneath her fingers as she continued to tease his throbbing arousal for just a few moments more before trailing her hand up to where the waistband barely contained his excitement.

Draco gazed imploringly at Rayne as her fingers paused at the waistband of his underwear. He wanted so much for her to snake her fingers beneath the silk and wrap her delicate hand around his manhood. He bit his lower lip in anticipation when he felt her delicately raise the elastic and begin to slip her fingers, painfully slowly, inside.

"Rayne don't you think you should go to bed, you don't want another morning like… Oh My God!" Came a familiar voice from the foot of the girl's dormitory stairs. Both Draco and Rayne froze as Pansy shrieked in overly dramatic horror, they'd been caught. Various other students had begun to descend into the common room, awoken by Pansy's yell, Rayne snatched her hand away from him and Draco hastily fastened his trousers, scowling in frustration as Pansy passed him a self-satisfied smirk across the room. She'd planned the whole interruption.


	9. The Two Faces of Professor Snape

Disclaimer: Once again same as all the other chapters...

I'd just like to say a thankyou to my reviewer's, you're all lovely and I hope you like the next chapter.

A/N:29/11/08

* * *

The Two Faces of Professor Snape

After the commotion down in the common room Draco had stormed up to his dormitory in frustration and fought in vain to try and sleep. It just wouldn't happen, not when his blood was boiling with anger and every time he did begin to drift his mind would wander back to Rayne and to what he had been denied thanks to that jealous little bitch.

Just the memory of Rayne's touch was enough to arouse his desires again; Draco couldn't remember a time when he'd felt so sexually frustrated. Slumping onto his back he kicked at the bed sheets in irritation, screwing his eyes shut tight and fighting back a groan as they brushed delightfully against his still raging erection. It was hopeless to even try and sleep without first doing something to quell his feverish lusts. Reaching down with skilled hands Draco brought himself to a rough and less than satisfying climax.

Rolling over Draco buried his face into his pillows, "Damn Pansy that little bitch." He muttered irritably as the waves of sleep finally began to overcome him.

The next morning Draco awoke feeling tired and irritable. He got up, showered and dressed scowling at everybody who so much as passed a glance towards him. If anybody even muttered a comment about last night he'd curse them until their eyes fell out. Everybody seemed to sense this in Draco's attitude and so not a word was uttered about it. Draco's reputation as a promiscuous lover was well known but the other inhabitants of the common room were still rather shocked with how quickly he had 'worked his magic' on that strange new girl. She could be nothing better than a cheap whore if she was willing to give in to Draco that quickly.

For the second time in a row Draco stormed out of the common room and up to the Great Hall without even so much as a word to Crabb and Goyle who used to be so like his shadows. He grabbed a seat as far away from Pansy as he could find, fearing that it might be detrimental to his standing to hex her across the breakfast table, and once again sat angrily pushing the food around his plate. Mornings were proving to be a rather unpleasant experience this term.

***

Rayne slept in late that morning purposefully waiting until all sign of the other girls had left the room before she forced herself out of bed. Last night had turned out to be a hideously frustrating experience. She'd had Draco sat, theoretically, in the palm of her hand right up until Pansy's impeccably timed interruption.

She'd gone to bed seething with anger and enclosed herself within the deep green hangings, hoping that the solitude would help her in the fight against her temper. This place really was testing her control. Rayne heard when the other girls came back up to bed. They were all talking freely about what had happened, Pansy at the centre leading the discussion, not taking any care to hush their voices as they entered the room. Rayne sat and forced herself to tolerate their snide comments as they called her an undeserving whore, an evil witch who'd bespelled their poor, perfect Draco. She'd grasped a hold of her wrists, nails cutting roughly into her flesh as she fought against the raw desire to lash out and paint the walls with their blood.

Eventually the girls had grown tired of their insulting discussion and settled down to sleep, plunging the room into the harsh peace of darkness. Rayne closed her eyes and breathed deep, inhaling the comforting scent of the damp, dark dungeons, it was almost like home. She felt her rage ebb, her body beginning to shake at the sudden loss of adrenaline and the sharp pains from her wrists finally surfaced. Gently she unclasped her hands and Rayne looked over the damage. Dark half-moons, that she knew would shine a garish red in the light of the morning, stood out like stark, etched imperfections on her marble like skin. She brushed a finger over the marks feeling it come away damp with traces of blood. She raised the finger to her lips and licked away the blood, sighing at the sharp metallic taste on her tongue. Was this whole thing really worth all the trouble?

In the morning light she groped to pull back the hangings and Rayne stepped out into the thankfully deserted dormitory. Rubbing her eyes with one hand Rayne flicked her wrist towards her trunk and watched as the heavy carved lid swung open for her. Kneeling before it she pulled out clean clothes and once again searched the depths for a vial of blood. The way things were going she'd not have enough to last her and lord knows where she'd acquire any more. She knew where she'd like to get it from, but killing the other girls would only raise suspicions. Not to mention land her in further trouble.

Uncorking the crystal vial with a pop she tipped the contents down her throat grimacing at the taste, it was far better when fresh, but it would have to do.

Grabbing her clothes Rayne headed to the bathroom to shower and dress with no intention of going to breakfast that morning. The urge to tear Pansy's head off could prove to be all too much to cope with.

A little while later Rayne made her way out of the common room and through the dungeon corridors. Transfiguration was first on her timetable today and she intended to find her own way there on time, even if it meant going whilst everyone else was still at breakfast. She'd just about reached the foot of the stone stairs up to the entrance hall when she heard the sound of a door clicking shut. "Ah Rayne. A word with you if I might." A dark and silky voice came from behind her.

Turning she locked her gaze with the dark and forbidding eyes of Professor Snape. "Of course Professor, what was it you wanted to say?" Her tone was flat, showing no glimmer of emotion. She had a good idea of what he wanted to speak to her about.

"In my office if you please." He said, more of a command than a suggestion despite the civil feel of his words.

Rayne nodded in reply and proceeded to follow him through the dank, dimly lit corridors until they reached the familiar door to Snape's office. Unlocking the door with a tap of his wand he swept it open and indicated for Rayne to enter ahead of him before he too stepped in and pulled the door shut behind him.

Snape went to his seat behind the large black desk, lacing his fingers and resting his chin atop them, he fixed Rayne with a stern gaze. "Now Rayne I suspect you know what I am going to say to you?"

"I have a good idea yes Sir." She replied truthfully, her voice it's usual calm and steady tone. She wasn't worried what came of this, Umbridge had deserved what she got.

"Yes. Well let me tell you that this is a very serious issue. I don't care what your situation is a student never has the right to attack a Professor." He said sternly continuing to hold her gaze.

"No Sir, you are right. I let my temper get the better of me." She said again admitting the truth and sighing, defeated. Arguing would only make things worse for herself.

Snape raised his eyebrows at her willing admission of guilt; it was certainly not what he'd been expecting. "It would appear so." He said, his voice low and soft as if he didn't fully believe that his ears weren't deceiving him. "Well, I trust that an incident like this will not be occurring again?"

"No Sir. I shall do my best to quash my temper." She said hoping that her acceptance of guilt had earned her a lesser punishment.

"Good. Then I am expecting you to write a letter of apology to Professor Umbridge and we shall say no more about it." Snape concluded as he made a note on a sheet of parchment that lay before him on the desk. Naturally he had been softer on her because she was in his own house but he had to admit to feeling a new found sense of awe for her master of power. Draco had indeed been right to find her compelling. She was worth discovering more about, she could well prove to be exceedingly useful, and he knew just who could help him learn more.

"Thank you Professor." Rayne said and was making to stand and leave the room when Snape opened his mouth to speak again.

"On another note. A Miss Parkinson has been to see me with a complaint about certain actions between you and Mr Malfoy in the common room last night." He had arched one eyebrow in a show of amusement at the situation.

Beside herself Rayne felt a blush creep to her cheeks, though the colour was nothing more than a rosy hue on her deathly pale skin. She looked at the floor and began to chew on her lower lip wondering what exactly he expected her to say. This was the last thing she wanted to hear from a Professor.

"Now I am fairly well informed about the many sexual indiscretions of my house members, but this is the first actual complaint that I have ever received." Snape couldn't help but smirk, "since it has been brought to me I must tell you that if this happens again, to my knowledge, I shall have to issue detentions." His voice once again stern as he asserted his authority. "So if I were you Rayne I would tread very carefully from now on or you could find yourself in an awful lot of trouble."

"Yes Sir." Rayne replied still not able to meet his eye, how could Pansy have gone and told Snape? She really was doing her best to spoil things, but did she really expect Draco to take her back with open arms after it all?

Feeling somewhat defeated Rayne left Snape's office and stepped back out into the dungeon corridor, starting to make her way back towards the steps up to the entrance hall. She was glad, if a little suspicious, that Snape had not given her a detention or taken away any house points, she couldn't help but feel that she been let off a little easy. Yes she knew he always showed favouritism towards his own house but under the circumstances. _I attacked a teacher for fucks sake, _Rayne thought to herself in confusion, she'd expected at least some kind of punishment for her actions. And then he knew about what had gone on in the common room, Rayne didn't think she'd ever be able to meet his eye again, not after the way he had looked a her.

Shaking her head she sighed, it wouldn't do any good to dwell on it, she had a job to do herself and that was what was important, that and convincing Draco to help her.

She began to ascend the broad stone stairs up to the vast, brightly-lit entrance hall. A number of students were already heading off in different directions but the low buzz of noise from the Great Hall signalled that breakfast was still in progress. Bypassing the double doors to the hall Rayne headed for the foot of the Grand Staircase and began to make her way up to the first floor where Transfiguration class would take place.

There were already a number of other 5th years assembled in the corridor as Rayne strolled casually towards the classroom. Passing an alcove that was cut in to the thick stone wall she felt a hand grab her wrist and pull her in to the secluded space.

Draco pressed Rayne into the wall and placed a furious kiss on her lips. "You didn't come to breakfast." He growled huskily, standing close enough for her to feel the heat radiating from his body.

She closed her eyes and felt her breath quicken at his closeness, the scent of him was heavenly. "No." She said in a soft whisper, "I didn't think it would be a good idea."

Smirking Draco ran a hand through Rayne's long raven hair; "Yes I was rather tempted to curse Pansy into oblivion."

"Hmm, far too easy." Rayne chuckled leaning in to whisper in Draco's ear, "I'd have torn her throat out." She placed a chaste kiss on Draco's before pushing herself away from the wall.

Draco watched with heightened desire and a new found sense of fear as Rayne headed into the classroom. Her words had caused a harsh sense of reality to arise in him, she really was a demon, an immensely powerful creature with a thirst for blood and death. What had he gotten himself in to? But there was no way of denying his attraction to her, her stark beauty coupled with the awesome power she could wield made her an appealing package to a person like Draco.

He groaned at his thoughts, thinking too much about a situation really did spoil the magic of it. But he couldn't change things, not now. Not only did he want Rayne, both sexually and as a great source of power by his side, Snape would also be livid if he backed out now, especially when he'd been the one to start the whole thing.

Thinking of Snape, Draco wondered what sort of progress he'd made. He suspected something about Rayne, what it was Draco wasn't exactly sure but it was something that could prove to be vital, it just had to be for Snape to take that amount of interest.

With a sigh Draco forced himself out of the alcove and made his way into the classroom, taking a seat beside Rayne near the back of the room. He glanced at her and saw her smirk back at him; she really was a woman after his own heart and all the thoughts of doubt began to melt away. They were going to lead each other into a lot of trouble.

Transfiguration proved to be a fairly interesting lesson. They'd been asked to change a bunch of shoelaces into a working clock. Rayne seemed to have a natural ability for the subjects, managing an almost perfect transformation on her first attempt. When Draco gaped and asked how Rayne smiled. "It's simple really. Most Blood demons have the power of transmogrification. The principles are the same I just have to apply it to another object rather than myself." She explained with a smile. Closing her eyes she pictured clearly in her head the structure of the shoelace breaking down and reforming as a clock. Holding this in her head she concentrated hard and waved a palm across the laces on the desk, which promptly began to morph into a working clock.

"Hmph," Draco mumbled a little sulkily, having not yet successfully performed the spell. "Doesn't exactly help me though does it?!"

Rayne rolled her eyes, he really could be a sulky little brat, though his good looks more than made up for a few attitude problems. "Look its not that hard, you just have to concentrate." Rayne instructed, "Picture the transformation happening in your head, imagining it is half the magic. Once you can see it clearly enough say the spell."

Draco gave her a disdainful look before reluctantly closing his eyes and doing as she'd instructed. With a wave of his wand Draco muttered the spell and looked on with a satisfied smirk as his laces began to weave themselves into the form of a clock. "You're right, it's not really all that hard."

"You're welcome." Rayne said flatly, knowing that was about as much of a thank you as she'd get out of him.

***

The rest of the day passed with little incident, Rayne was surprised by the lack of attention and questioning she was subjected to about her 'unusual' grasp of magic. She found that if she sat in the back of the class very few people would notice her lack of wand work, much to her relief, she didn't feel particularly tolerable of a barrage of questions being unloaded on her.

After dinner that evening Draco once again left Rayne at the common room to go and do his rounds. Rayne promising to wait for him again, hoping that there would not be a repeat of the last nights' fiasco.

Planting a soft, lingering kiss on her lips Draco headed away to prowl the dungeon corridors. He'd spent a good ten minutes stalking through the narrow, dimly lit, stone passageways without seeing another soul, perhaps they'd all learnt from the berating he'd given them last night. Turning a corner Draco glanced up to see Professor Snape step out in front of him, pulling shut a door as he left the room.

"Ah Draco, I was hoping to catch you. A word if I might." He said silkily and began to pace towards his office, beckoning Draco to follow. Shutting the door behind them Snape took his seat behind the desk and caught Draco's silver gaze before he began.

"I must say Draco that I admire how well you have succeeded in gaining Rayne's trust. I hope I do not need to tell you how vital it is that you keep it?"

"No Sir." Draco said simply. Exactly how much did Snape know about?

"I believe that I may be on to a breakthrough regarding her… ah…unique position and I have enlisted the help of your father to aid in moving things along." Snape went on.

Draco nodded, Snape didn't seem to want to really explain things to him, but for his father to become involved then they had to be seriously considering Rayne as a valuable prospect in acquiring some allies.

"And I must say that I am rather shocked with how quickly you work Draco, you have known her what, three days now?" Snape questioned with raised eyebrows, a smirk playing on his lips.

Draco felt his cheeks burn, so apparently Snape knew everything.

"I would advise, however, that to avoid a repeat performance, perhaps you pay the Room of Requirement a visit." With that Snape indicated that Draco could go.

He stood to leave considering Snape's words, the Room of Requirement? He'd not heard of it before. "Um Sir…"

"7th floor Draco, opposite the large tapestry. Just think of what you want the room for and the door will appear." Snape cut in without looking up from his desk, anticipating Draco's question before he had asked it.

"Thank you Professor." Draco said before hurrying out of the office, The Room of Requirement? Now that did sound interesting.


	10. Secrets in the Shadows

Disclaimer: As before I do not own any of the character or creations of J.K Rowling, only the plot of this fic and character of Rayne is mine.

Warning: More lemons present in this chapter so remeber if you don't like it don't read it, you have been warned!

Summery: Well things begin to come together in this chapter, Snape's plotting has some light shed on it, Draco finally relieves some of his frustrations, Rayne may finally decided Draco is worthy of her full trust but her secret may already be in jeprody.

A/N: Edited 29/11/08

* * *

Secrets in the Shadows

Draco arrived back in the Slytherin common room to find Rayne curled, cat like, in an armchair. All of her attention was focused on a book that lay open in her lap. With a smirk Draco moved to stand behind the chair and leaned in over her shoulder, "So, how much did you miss me?" He drawled cockily as he glanced over at the pages of her book, it was all written in a peculiar symbolised language that Draco did not recognise.

"Oh about as much as a hole in the head." Rayne replied, looking up into his face with a grin.

Draco narrowed his eyes and pouted at her response. He'd been hoping for some sort of flattery, something to boost his ego. But Rayne was not the same as all of the clingy and needy girls he was so used to having pander to his ever whim. She grinned at him, a wicked glint sparkling in her crystal purple eyes and Draco found that he couldn't help but melt his pout into a smile. What was she doing to him? Letting out a growl at her cheek he planted his lips on hers in a brief, but tender, kiss. "As if I'd believe that for a second," he said, arching his pale eyebrows as he moved around the chair to sit beside her, "I am a highly missable person."

Rayne laughed softly at his response, shutting closed the pages of her book, "You have enjoyed your evening once again I trust?"

Enjoyed his evening? Well he didn't get to dock any house points and Snape was still being cagey about what he had found out and was planning, but he had been given a good bit of advice. If nothing else he'd at least be able to relieve some of his sexual frustration. "It was informative." He said vaguely, a smirk playing on his soft, full lips. She'd find out soon enough what he meant; besides Snape was probably best left unmentioned and out of the picture.

"Really?" Rayne said, arching one pencil thin eyebrow in Draco's direction, "Informative how exactly?" she asked him. He was being coy about something and she was suspicious about what sort of thing it was he'd found out, was it something about her?

"Patience," He said, leaning across the gap between the chairs so she could feel his hot breath on her cheek, "Is a virtue."

***

He'd wanted to tell her then, wanted to drag her up to the seventh floor immediately where they could resume their prematurely halted tryst, but Draco had abstained. The hour was already getting late when he'd returned to the common room and it would hardly be worth the trip up there for what little time they would have together. No he could wait, one more night for what he wanted was nothing.

But Draco lay in bed that night familiar feelings of anticipation once again plagued his thoughts, the longing growing in his loins as memories of her touch began to once again fuel his desires. What he wouldn't give to have her there in his bed.

They'd turned in reasonably early that night, compared to the previous two at any rate. Rayne had claimed that she needed to get a decent amount of sleep to be able to function properly in the morning and after _his_ last two mornings Draco was inclined to agree. Saying goodnight with a tender kiss they both turned their separate ways and headed to their dormitories.

Draco for one was glad of the minimal amount of touching that had gone on in the common room, he'd felt for sure that he would be able to resist his desires so long as she didn't fuel his lusts. But, as inevitably happens, his relief turned to thoughts of what could have happened; and Draco found himself once again unable to sleep.

He fell back against in pillows in frustration, desire coursing from his pulsing erection, "God, what the fuck is wrong with me?" He muttered. He'd not felt the need to masturbate in several years, not since he'd had a willing string of girls to fulfil his every sexual whim. They had always been sufficient in the past and not a single one had ever arisen these deep-set desires in him before. What was it about Rayne that drove him so crazy? As now, two nights in a row, Draco found himself unable to tear his thoughts from her, from how he'd been left wanting and had to once again take matters into his own hands.

Spilling over in climax Draco sighed, how he'd hate for anyone to see him so utterly obsessed with her. "What kind of a spell does she have me under?" Were his whispered words, thick with sleep, as he turned over and began to drift. Tomorrow would be different, he would finally get what he desired and put an end to his wanton lusts and unsatisfactory orgasms that left him, if anything, only wanting more.

***

The next day passed at a snails pace. Rayne had became exceedingly suspicious of what it was Draco had found out the night before and the knowing grin he'd continued to pass her all day began to get on her nerves. Whatever he was scheming Rayne became determined to find out. _If only I could probe his mind_. She'd thought to herself, unfortunately the only way she knew how was considerably messy and usually left the other person, well, dead so she could hardly do that to Draco.

By the time dinner arrived Rayne had reached the end of her tether. Draco's furtive glances and suggestive remarks had been coming steadily thicker and faster as the day wore on and the way he gazed hungrily at her across the house table was enough to make her drop her fork in exasperation. "Draco, will you please tell me what the big secret is?" She said with a sigh, "You've been driving me crazy with your cocky, knowing looks all day. You found out something interesting last night I know, just tell me what it is."

Draco simply smirked and shook his head at her, "Like I said, patience is a virtue, you'll see soon enough. Now when you're done I need you to come with me." He said haughtily as he delicately emptied his plate.

Rayne sighed and pouted, why was he being so secretive? And where exactly did he want to take her? _I bet its back to Snape for something, _she thought sulkily to herself before a horrifying conclusion hit her. What if Snape had found out the truth? He was making Draco lead her to him so he could have her tried and executed. A little overdramatic perhaps but Rayne felt a sickness settle in the pit of her stomach at these thoughts and she pushed her plate away.

"Good you're finished." Draco drawled flatly as he saw Rayne push her plate away, trying not to sound too eager to drag her out of the hall but also unable to stand the waiting much longer either. He stood and looked towards the door, "You ready to go?"

He'd made it sound more like a command than a question but Rayne nodded reluctantly, fearing the worst. Snape was involved here somehow she just knew it. Standing slowly she followed Draco out of the hall, tasting blood from her lip as she continued to bite into her flesh.

Draco moved swiftly, bypassed the stairs down to the dungeons and instead headed straight for the foot of the Grand Staircase. Rayne frowned and paused in her steps, she'd expected Draco to head straight for the dungeons, she'd thought for sure that they were on their way to see Snape. "Where are we going Draco?" she called to him as she moved to the foot of the stairs.

He stopped in his steps, sighing exasperatedly, and turned to gaze down at her, "You'll see when we get there. Now come on we've got to get up to the seventh floor." He snapped, becoming impatient. Why was she being so awkward about this? With a shake of his head Draco turned and carried on up the stairs, feeling certain that she would follow despite her questions.

Rayne narrowed her eyes at his tone but resigned to follow him on up the stairs, at least they weren't headed for the dungeons.

A quick glance over his shoulder caused Draco to smirk as Rayne trailed behind him, looking somewhat put out but following nonetheless. He quickened his pace up the numerous stairs and eventually stepped out onto the seventh floor landing. He turned and grinned at her as she reached the head of the stairs, "Almost there." He said. Reaching out he grasped her arm and pulled her along the corridor.

A large old tapestry lined one side of a long, barely used, corridor and opposite it was a long stretch of blank, whitewashed wall. _This has to be where Snape meant, _Draco thought to himself as he began to pace past the tapestry thinking hard about what he wanted the room for, still dragging Rayne in tow behind him. He glanced up but the wall remained blank and bare. Draco frowned, _this has to be the right place. _He turned and paced back across the same stretch of floor for a second time concentrating furiously. _I need somewhere private I can be alone with her. _He turned again but the door still had not appeared so once again he paced back and felt Rayne finally wrench her arm from his grip.

"Draco, _what_ are you looking for?" She snapped, "You've been up and down this same bit of corridor three times now. If it wasn't here the first time why would it be here now?"

Draco turned to glare at her, but a glance over Rayne's shoulder showed him that the long whitewashed wall was no longer blank and bare. Set in the middle was a dark wooden door that had certainly not been there moments before. He stepped closer to Rayne, leaning down to whisper in her ear, "You sure about that?" He grasped her waist in two strong hands and turned her to face the door.

Her mouth opened in silent surprise as her eye's caught sight of the door that stood out stark against the white of the wall. "But, where?" she began to ask in confusion as Draco guided her towards it, hands still firmly gripping her waist as he walked close behind.

"It's called the Room of Requirement." He breathed into her ear, silently relieved that it was really there. "It appears to whoever needs it for whatever you need it for." He was unable to hide the husky excitement in his voice at the prospect of finally having her alone.

His looming presence behind her was prickling with excitement and Rayne could sense his building desire, "And what do you need it for?" she whispered softly, feeling that she already knew the answer to that question. But this place, this was what he'd found out? It was certainly nothing like what she'd been expecting.

Draco didn't reply he laughed softly and pushed open the door to reveal an exquisite looking room. The walls were all painted a dark Emerald. Deep pile, black carpet lined the floor and in the centre of the room stood a huge four poster bed, dressed with shimmering silken sheets in the Slytherin colours. Stepping inside and pushing the door shut behind them, clicking the lock for good measure, Draco grinned, "Do you really have to ask me that?"

His arms snaked around her waist and pulled her body tightly against him. Rayne sighed in a release of tension she wasn't even aware she'd been carrying and gave in to his embrace. A small smile cracked on her lips. She'd worried for no reason; perhaps he really was worthy of her complete trust.

"No interruptions this time." Draco breathed into her ear before fixing his lips to her neck, dragging a trail of hot, wet kisses along the delicate flesh. Rayne blissed at the sensation of his lips and closed her eyes, reaching up to twist her fingers through the soft tendrils of his hair. She groaned as she felt the hard scrape of his teeth on her sensitive skin and she turned in Draco's arms to face him. Locking her gaze with his she drank in the fiery lust that burned in his silver eyes and leaned forwards to catch his perfect lips in a fierce kiss.

Draco let out a stifled moan as Rayne slammed her lips against his and he fought her for control of the kiss. He plunged his tongue between her parted lips and continued to kiss her feverishly, raking his hands through her long raven locks and tugging harshly as he battled with his self control. It was all he could do not to throw her down on the bed and ravish her to within an inch of her life, but he swallowed back his desire. He wanted the night to last.

***

Throughout the rest of the castle night had closed in. Students congregated in their common rooms, prefects roamed the halls searching for those who were out too late, well all bar one. And Severus Snape sat in his office expectantly awaiting a visitor.

Various old tomes lay open across his desk and sheets of parchment, scrawled with hastily written notes dropped one by one from his hands as he scanned the writing, trying to make sure that he had all of the information clear in his mind. A sharp rapping at the door snapped him from his thoughts, he flicked his coal black eyes to where the sound filtered in and said in his cold, silky tone, "Come in Lucius."

The door was suddenly swept open and in breezed Lucius Malfoy. His tall form attired divinely in the best clothes money could buy . His long, platinum blonde hair was drawn back away from his face, accentuating the aristocratic features that were mirrored so perfectly by his son. The door swung closed behind him and Lucius took a seat at the desk, arranging himself urbanely before saying, "So tell me Severus, what progress have you made with the books I leant to you?"

"Quite well as it happens." Severus replied selecting one book, which lay open to a diagram and passed it across the table. "If Draco was accurate in his description then she is indeed what you suspected."

Lucius glanced down at the image, depicting a ring bisected by five lines at the points of a star. He skimmed his stormy grey eyes over the accompanying lines of text a and a smirk began to play on his lips, reminiscent of the one that so often plagued Draco's face. "A true high blood demon." He said, an eagerness sparkling in his cold eyes, "Imagine the power if they were to be our allies."

Severus nodded meeting Lucius' gaze across the desk, "I would never have believed the stories, but the power she holds in undeniable. She might very well have killed the Umbridge woman if it were not for having some better judgement."

Lucius chuckled slightly, "But the question still begs to be asked, what is she doing here? Surely the Blood would not exile one of their own, not when she is still held in high regard. Bearing the glyph marking is a sign of honour and I find it hard to believe that she'd be sent away without first having this honour revoked."

"It certainly is suspicious and I do not for a second believe that the story she told to Draco was the entire truth."

This emitted another cold chuckle from Lucius, "Well she is wise in that respect, not to trust my son with such valuable information." He replied smoothly, knowing only too well how Draco would take any situation and use it to his own full advantage, it was after all the way Lucius had taught. "I think Severus that we need to question her personally. A dose of Veritaserum should reveal all we want to know." He smirked again, stormy grey eyes shining malevolently, "I should like to be present for this, do you think you can command her to your office tomorrow evening, preferably without my son being present. I would not care for the whole of Slytherin house to know of the situation. Not just yet anyway."

Severus nodded, "I had anticipated an instance of this sort. I believe that she currently will be out of the common room after hours, getting to know your son rather more…intimately." He responded, a sly smile crossing his lips. "I had advised Draco that a visit to the Room of Requirement might serve his interests and I should think that I can apprehend her on the way back down to bed. A detention for being out after curfew would seem to be most convenient."

Lucius gave a curt nod in agreement and indication that the matter could be dropped there. It was a good plan certainly but the less he knew about Draco's _personal_ involvement the happier he would be. Standing to leave Lucius said in farewell, "Then I shall return tomorrow, how does eight sound? Gives time for you to administer your detention first, don't want to arouse any suspicion now do we?" With that he turned and swept out of the room.

Severus looked over his desk and began to clear away the various books and paper that cluttered the shining black surface. He had some time before he would venture up to the seventh floor and wait for Rayne to emerge, he had a feeling that Draco would keep her there for a while yet.

***

Draco tore his lips away from Rayne's, gasping breathlessly. He gazed into her startling amethyst eyes giving her a look smouldering with pure lust. His hands were still entwined roughly in her hair and he began to lead her closer to the bed, not once letting his gaze wander from her eyes. Words seemed to have escaped him, all he could think about was what he wanted now that he had her alone. An innocent tip from Snape or not there was no denying that it was perfect. At that moment Draco didn't care what Snape got out of sending them up there, he had Rayne alone and would have no more sleepless nights plagued by his unfulfilled desires.

He moved his hands down to push against her shoulders and Rayne felt the backs of her legs make contact with the bed. Draco leaned in searching for a kiss, intending to push her down onto her back. Instead, he felt his lips make contact with her fingers as she raised a hand to stop him. "Hold on just one second," she said before adding slyly, "Who says you get to be in control?"

He frowned at her words, not at all sure he liked the idea of relinquishing control over this, or any, situation but as he felt her hands begin to roam his body he reluctantly decided to give in to her. She dragged her hands up his chest, toying with the fastenings of his robes before sliding them off his shoulders and letting them drop unceremoniously to the floor. She reached next for his crisp white shirt. Achingly slowly Rayne opened each button in turn, revealing steadily more and more of Draco's milky white skin. She teased every new inch with delicate, fluttering kisses.

Draco sighed as he let her drop his shirt to the floor along with his robes and delighted at the feel of her hands against his naked flesh. He reached for her again and this time his lips collided with hers. He pulled Rayne's body tightly against him to feel her warmth pressed to his bare chest. Her hands trailed down his back, whilst she allowed his tongue to explore her mouth, and they came to rest at the waistband of his trousers. With a firm grip on his waist she pressed her hips against him wanting to feel the growing hardness that strained against the fabric of his remaining clothing.

Breaking their feverish kiss suddenly Draco moaned, "Don't start your teasing again, I can't stand it." He moved his hips to increase the pressure against his throbbing desire and looked pleadingly into her eyes.

With a smirk Rayne replied, "Now I'm sure I don't know what you mean." But she wouldn't torment him too much, not when his eyes screamed everything he would never voice aloud. She trailed her fingers around his waist, tracing faint lines on his skin with her fingernails, just above the top of his remaining clothing. She stepped back and drew her hands to rest at the front, where the fabric of his trousers strained hard against his excitement. She held his smouldering gaze and Rayne licked her lips hungrily before allowing her fingers to pull the fabric open and drop his trousers to the floor to join the slowly growing pile of discarded clothing.

Draco swallowed hard as Rayne removed yet more of his clothing. He'd was grown steadily more naked and still Rayne wore everything she had come in with. He couldn't help but feel that this was rather unfair but if all of the focus was placed on him, his want, his pleasure then wouldn't he be getting exactly what he always wanted.

Rayne grinned as she exposed yet another pair of silken boxer shorts, considerably tented by Draco's throbbing erection. She stretched out a hand and curled her fingers around his silk covered hardness gently squeezing a stroking it's length, well just a little teasing couldn't be resisted.

Draco breathed huskily at her ministrations, delicate fingers skilfully exciting him further until he was panting, desperate for her touch on his excited flesh. They were back to where they had left off before and this time Draco would not be denied his desires. He pulled her chin towards him and kissed her viciously, "Let me feel you wrap your hand around my flesh, don't deny me any longer." He growled and Rayne obliged.

She tugged gently on the remainder of his clothing, sliding it slowly down his legs. Draco blessed for a moment at the feel of the silk slipping over his sensitive skin before he stepped away from the pile of clothing that littered the floor. He faced Rayne in all of his naked glory. She swept her eyes over every inch of him, drinking in every detail, he really was a picture of porcelain perfection. He was slim but showed signs of well defined muscle that would only improve with age, flawless, pale skin encased his entire form and his impressive manhood stood out hard and proud from the soft flush of golden curls at it's base. Rayne did her best to imprint the image into her mind, his handsome form even more so in it's nakedness.

She grinned as a hot flush of lust grew on her cheeks and coloured them a pale rose, coupled with an ache of desire that grew ever more demanding between her legs. Running her tongue along her full lips to wet them Rayne caught his mouth in a soft kiss and stretched her fingers to tentatively stroke the silken flesh of Draco's manhood. He groaned into the kiss at her delicate touch and silently begged her for more. Finally Draco felt Rayne firmly encase him in her delicately strong hand and she began to move her hand in long, languid strokes. He rolled his eyes back in his head, delighting as he got what he'd desired.

Groaning in bliss he leant forward to rest his head against Rayne's shoulder, planting numerous kisses onto the soft skin of her neck as he enjoyed her attentions, relishing in the pleasure that her skilful hand was causing to radiate out from the root of his desire. Rayne smiled smugly at his reaction, but when Draco seemed to have become complacent with her actions she slowed her stroke and soon stopped. Draco looked up and pouted at the cessation of the pleasure she had been giving him, but she merely grinned slyly and planted a chaste kiss on his lips before she stepped back, cutting off all contact from his body.

He opened his mouth, intending to complain, but the words caught in his throat as he watched Rayne sink to her knees before him. He suppressed a whimper of anticipation as she reached for him and parted her blood red lips, gazing hungrily up at him before engulfing the swollen head of his manhood in her hot, wet mouth. It was almost too much for Draco to cope with, two nights on the trot he had longed for her touch and now she was here devouring his very being, Draco was in heaven.

Rayne ran her tongue around the sensitive tip, tasting the salty drops of his excitement as they fell onto her tongue before drawing more of the shaft into her mouth. Slowly she inched his length between her soft lips, sucking hard as she drew more and more of him down her throat.

Draco marvelled at her skill and almost screamed in delight when her lips made contact with the rest of his body. She paused for a moment, massaging his length with the muscles of her throat before achingly slowly she began to withdraw, training her tongue to follow her lips on their path. Biting his lip Draco groaned at the sensation, tauntingly slow but heated perfection nonetheless. He felt himself grasping to the last shreds of his self-control. He reached out with shaking hands and snaked his fingers through her hair, loosing the battle against the want to force himself back down her throat. Grasping the back of her head he thrust his hips forward and groaned as he felt himself again sheathed entirely within her mouth.

She was taken by surprise at his sudden and forceful movement and Rayne had to fight not to gag on the unexpected intrusion in her throat. She moved her hands to forcefully grip Draco's thighs and take control of the thrusts, guiding him carefully in and out of her mouth. She responded to his movements, alternating between sucking hard on the shaft and running her tongue across the prominent head of his rigid member.

Draco lost himself to everything but the pleasure that emanated from his core, tingling over every inch of his flesh. He groaned and gasped loudly, pulling roughly on Rayne's hair as he felt the familiar pressure of orgasm reach it's peak, knowing it would take little more to tip him over the edge.

The rough glide of her tongue across the overly sensitive tip of his member sent Draco tumbling headfirst into his climax. "Oh Fuck!" he shouted, throwing his head back as his body convulsed in pleasure. The feeling shot through every inch of his form, prickling like electricity and spreading like wildfire as his manhood pulsed violently spilling his seed down Rayne's throat.

He hunched over, releasing his grip on Rayne's hair and breathed hard as his body slowly ceased convulsing. He felt his knees grow weak and whimpered as she withdrew his softening member from between her lips before he finally fell to the floor beside her. Rayne smiled warmly and stroked Draco's delicately sweat sheened face as he panted in recovery from his powerful orgasm.

At last Draco felt satisfied and it had been far more pleasurable even than he'd imagined, but he was determined that their night would not end yet. He turned and gazed hungrily into Rayne's deep purple eyes, he would make this a night to remember.

***

Snape looked up from his desk which was now clear from the clutter of books and parchment that had earlier littered it's surface, and glanced up to the clock that was set into the cold stone wall. It was growing late and he should begin to make his way up to the seventh floor, not wanting to risk missing Rayne on her way back down to the dungeons. He extinguished the lights in his office and then Severus swept silently out of the door, locking it with a flick of his wand, and glided up out of the dungeons, his long black robes whipping around his ankles as he walked.

With long, sweeping strides and a determined pace it took very little time for him to reach the seventh floor corridor. Breezing past where he knew the concealed entrance to the Room of Requirement lay Snape stepped into a darkened alcove and waited there patiently in the shadows, watching and waiting for Rayne to emerge.

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	11. Detention of Convenience

Disclaimer: I think you've got the idea about this now...

Warning: Lemons from the start of this chapter, you have been warned!

Snape continues to wait as Rayne and Draco continue to enjoy themselves in the Room of Requirement, but will all of his waiting pay off...

**This chapter I dedicate to ****justsukiya** **for reading and reviewing each new chapter I put up. Hope that you enjoy this one!**

A/N: Editied 28/11/08

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Detention of Convenience

Draco sat on the soft pile carpet looking effortlessly dignified, despite his nakedness and the harsh rise and fall of his chest, as he fought to re-catch his breath. The faint pink flush that had spread across his chest whilst his orgasm coursed through his body was slowly beginning to fade leaving Draco grinning in satisfaction.

Once his heavy breathing had slowed to a more normal pace Draco fixed his gaze on Rayne's amethyst, lust filled eyes and growled with passion. He reached over and pulled her lips to his. Their night was far from over; he would not leave with just that one taste of pleasure. No his night would not end until he'd felt himself inside of her. He kissed her tenderly, soft lips brushing delicately against each other and then more earnestly as he raised a hand to stroke her cheek.

She grinned against his lips as he began to kiss her just as passionately as he'd done before, glad that he wasn't about to run out on her now that he'd had his pleasure. He coaxed her lips apart with his tongue and dipped it inside of her mouth mingling the taste of his saliva with the residual taste of semen that lingered on her tongue. His hand slid down to her shoulder and fumbled with the fastenings on the front of her robes, but failed to pull them open. He broke the kiss with a sigh and pressed his forehead to hers, trying again this time with both hands guided by his eyes. Eventually he pulled the fastenings loose and pushed the soft, black fabric down over her shoulders letting it gather at her waist. Smirking at his success Draco kissed her again before he moved to stand, pulling Rayne to her feet with him. Roughly he pushed her robes down to the floor before he scooped her up in his arms and lay her down on the, as of yet, untouched bed.

This time Rayne was happy to let Draco command the situation and did not resist as he effortlessly lifted her and lay her on her back against the cool, silk sheets. She delighted in the soft smoothness of the bedclothes against her and longed to feel them draped around her naked flesh, she could see why Draco favoured such a sensual fabric. Rayne lay back contentedly and grinned as Draco crawled cat like onto the bed, coming to rest with her body entirely beneath him. He dropped down, lowering his weight gently on top of her, pressing every inch of his naked form against her and hungrily began to devour her mouth. His tongue deftly exploring every part of the hot, wet flesh.

She circled her arms around his back and held him close, moving her hands to touch as much of his milky white skin as she could. Draco pulled away and started to open her shirt, beginning the disrobing ritual that she had gone through with him. He followed each opened button with a soft kiss until her shirt lay completely open exposing to him her red lace covered breasts. Raising herself off of the sheets at his indication, Rayne allowed Draco to slip the shirt off of her shoulders, where he threw it to the clothing littered floor before falling back and burying his head into the crest of her breasts.

He purred contentedly and began to lick, bite and suck the soft, tender flesh. Roughly he pinched both hardened nipples between his fingers causing Rayne to gasp and writhe beneath him. Feeling her arch her back off of the bed Draco took the moment to his advantage, reaching around he unhooked her bra and freed her soft, pearly white mounds.

Unceremoniously discarding her clothing Draco took in the almost artificial white of her skin, if she were to lay perfectly still she could well have been carved from marble. Even her flesh was cool to the touch. Only her vibrant, shimmering eyes and her deliciously hot mouth gave away any signs of life. Her nipples were a pale blush of the faintest pink against the barren background of her stark flesh, standing out hard and erect in arousal. Draco blew a breath of cold air over her excited skin and watched as faint shivers passed through her, seeming to momentarily bring her flesh to life.

She was almost too good to be real, not only in her physical form, which Draco found hard to tear his eyes from, but in her very essence. She was powerful and not at all frightened to harness the power to help herself. She was strong willed, independent and accepting of Draco for who he was despite everything that should have screamed at her not to. If he hadn't thought the notion absurd Draco may have thought he felt some feeling of love for her. He would certainly never feel quite the same for another person again, of this he was sure, but love? Was he really even capable of feeling real love after everything that compiled who he was? Draco Malfoy in love, and with a demon no less, what would the world think of him?

He gazed at her longingly, still so lost in the confusing myriad of his thoughts that he barely noticed her hand reach out to stroke his face. "Draco, are you okay?" he heard her voice come from what seemed like miles away, dragging him slowly back to the here and now.

He held her hand to his cheek and nodded, curving his lips into a warm smile. Perhaps it was a little too soon to worry about the question of love. He felt for Rayne of that he was certain, and it was more than just lust and selfish desires, but how could he love someone he'd known less than a week?

Moving her hand he placed a kiss into her open palm, "Of course, I'm fine." He whispered softly as he met her mouth in a kiss. He should stop thinking so much and make the most of the remaining time they had together, that was after all what he had so desperately been desiring.

His lips left hers and began to paint a wet trail down her neck to her chest. With one hand he teased the hardened bud of her nipple, drawing the other into his mouth. He ran his tongue around the taut flesh and sucked hard, hearing Rayne resume her succession of gasps at his rough but delightful ministrations. Leaving with a quick bite to her sensitive flesh Draco switched sides and resumed his actions on the other nipple drawing a more vibrant pink blush to the surface of the delicate skin.

Rayne sighed as Draco resumed his actions, she had feared that his deep thought was a sudden bout of regret, or an effort to plan how he could escape her, but as his mouth resumed it's painfully pleasurable actions all thoughts of soon melted from her mind. He was rough with her flesh but she loved it, loved that he didn't treat her like the china doll she looked, but then he knew of the true extent of her power. She ventured a glance down to the garish black marking that lay quiet on her forearm, at this moment a passive reminder of who she was, where she had come from but she knew all too well that it wouldn't stay like that. _If only it could be like this forever, _Rayne thought as she gazed affectionately at her blonde haired lover as he continued to ravish her breasts.

Letting her flesh drop from between his teeth Draco glanced up at her and met with Rayne's piercing eyes that now smouldered with desire. A glint shone mischievously in his own before he began to crawl back down the length of the bed, planting kisses on her exposed flesh as he moved. He came to a stop by her knees and Draco began to lightly brush his fingers over her long legs, teasing them apart so that his hands had access to the sensitive skin of her inner thighs.

She gazed at him hungrily as he ran his hands up beneath her skirt, her breath catching as he stopped just short of the centre of her desire where the ache was screaming for his touch.

Rayne panted expectantly willing Draco to move his hands again and to this time not shy away from where she wanted to feel him the most. His fingers moved slowly with feather light touches, inching closer and closer to the heart of her pleasure but once again he stopped and moved his hands away. It seemed that it was now Draco's turn to tease. She whimpered as he infuriatingly denied her what she wanted but bit her lip to silence herself.

Draco smirked at Rayne's obvious frustration and whispered, "See, not so fun now that the shoe is on the other foot." His silver eyes sparkled wickedly as he reached to unzip her skirt and slide it down over her legs.

Her breath quickened as she lay against the soft, silken sheets almost as bare as Draco, only her small, blood-red G-string covered her most intimate of places and yet it was there that she longed so desperately to feel his touch. But Draco was not done with his teasing, now she could feel the frustration he had suffered the last few days.

Ducking his head Draco trailed gentle kisses up her inner thighs, each time stopping just short of giving her any taste of relief, his fingers moved to join in the ministrations of his mouth. Rayne writhed at his touch and moaned in frustration trying to move to create some contact between her legs but Draco resisted.

Lifting his head he smirked as he watched her bite her lip in an attempt to prevent the pleas and insults from spilling out of her mouth. He mouthed a kiss at her then ran his tongue to the tops of her thighs, tracing the lines of her underwear and inching slowly closer to that heated spot that screamed for his attention.

"Draco, stop it, please." She found herself saying, her voice harsh and breathless from lack of use. She could no longer stand his teasing and any sense of pride had long since departed. In response Draco chuckled softly and moved his lips to centre between her legs, running his mouth with gentle kisses and licks along the outside of her underwear. She moaned at his movements but it still wasn't enough, the cloth of her G-string was inhibiting and Draco knew it, he was infuriating. Rayne groaned, "God, Draco I hate you." She said looking down at him with a furious hunger burning in her eyes.

Draco smirked up at her, meeting her eyes, and he shook his head, "No you don't," he said slyly, creeping back up her body, "You love me and you know it." He growled before grasping her in a desperate kiss. His hands wandered to slide off her one remaining item of clothing.

Their kiss was furious and hungry. Tongues fighting and teeth biting with bruising force. Rayne raked her nails down his back and Draco moved between her legs. She could feel his excitement pressed against her, hot against her flesh and just as hard as he'd been at the start of their evening. She longed to feel him inside of her and broke her lips away from his enough to gasp, "Please Draco, don't make me wait any longer."

Draco purred at her words but only moved his fingers to tease her opening, spreading the hot moistness across her soft folds. He rubbed the swollen head of his manhood through the hot wetness until she was panting in anticipation of when he would thrust himself inside of her. Her nails cut roughly into the flesh of his shoulders as she grew more and more impatient of waiting, Draco groaned at the sharp pain in his flesh and pushed his hips forward, plunging his length deep inside of her up to the hilt.

Rayne moaned loudly in relief as he impaled her fully on his shaft and began to thrust deeply, her hips moving to meet his. It was divine, perfect and worth waiting every second for. She could feel every inch of him sliding within her, bumping her cervix with the deepness of his thrusts causing Rayne to writhe and moan again beneath his body.

To him she felt like heaven, her walls were hot and molten as they wrapped tightly around his shaft, silkily massaging every inch as he thrust inside her. Their mouths met in heated passion as they gasped and moaned against each other. Hands kneading flesh, nails scratching and teeth biting as they drew each other closer and closer to the edge.

Orgasm engulfed them both in a great crashing wave of pleasure. They came, bodies shaking and convulsing as the shocks coursed through every inch of flesh. Moans stifled by furious kisses as the feeling reached its peak and slowly began to ebb.

They held each other, bodies slick with sweat, both breathing hard, hearts thumping in unison and gazed into each others eyes sharing soft loving kisses as they came down from the high of climax.

"That was incredible." Rayne breathed. No matter how much of a cliché it was it was true. Draco purred contentedly and moved to lie beside her, clinging her body close to him. He knew that they would have to leave soon, go back to the dungeons before morning, but they could share just a few more perfect moments until then.

***

Outside of the Room of Requirement the rest of the castle had been engulfed in a thick, velvet blackness. The hour had grown close to midnight and the corridors were devoid of students, if they knew what was good for them at least. The only movement that could be heard was the wheezing shuffle of Argus Filch the caretaker and his dust coloured cat Mrs Norris as they searched hopefully for any sign of a student out of bed. Occasionally the opaque form of one of the schools many ghosts drifted silently through the walls and still Severus Snape stood concealed in the hidden alcove, his gaze fixed intently on the long stretch of blank wall before him.

He'd been waiting quite a fair length of time by this point and still there was no sign of movement from where he knew the Room of Requirement lay hidden. Surely he can't have been mistaken; he knew Draco only too well and was more than certain he would have brought Rayne there that night. But he'd been stood in the shadows for close to an hour with no other sign of life in the long stretch of corridor.

The possible thought that he'd missed them crept momentarily through his mind but Snape shook it away, no he'd given himself plenty of time to ensure that he didn't miss them and even Draco couldn't work _that_ fast not if his 'reputation' was entirely truthful. Snape sighed and with a scowl he resigned that there was nothing more he could do but continue to wait, if his original feeling had indeed been correct then they would emerge at some point.

This thought however led Snape to be faced with a problem, if they emerged together he would have to find a way of separating Rayne from Draco, he needed to have Rayne alone when he and Lucius would question her. If they had any sense they'd leave separately to draw less attention to themselves, but if they didn't, well, he may just have to subject Draco to a detention with Filch to keep up appearances.

"The information she has had better be worth this." He muttered irritably, he was not a man to be kept waiting in the dark for no good reason.

***

"I wish we didn't have to go back." Rayne whispered sleepily as she snuggled closer to the warmth of Draco's body. She'd love nothing more than to spend the night sleeping in the comfort of his arms, to not have to sneak back to that dormitory where those wretched girls slept, blissfully unaware of Rayne's desire to rip them all to shreds.

"I know," he muttered into her hair, "but we have to. We'll be missed in the morning if we're not back." Draco sighed reluctantly. At that moment he truly felt that he could be happy enough spending the rest of his life in that room with her, but that was probably just the lingering sexual high talking. Painfully slowly he moved to step off of the bed, immediately regretting the loss of contact with her body but they really did have to go.

Rayne sighed sadly as he moved away hoping that the reluctance she felt from him wasn't just a show, that the whole night hadn't just been a charade, as she now felt far too close to Draco to just break away. Could you call it love? Rayne didn't think so, no it was far too soon to consider love and even then she wasn't so sure she could even know real love, it wasn't a very big emotion amongst her kind. But she did know that she cared for him and couldn't accept being brushed off as just another of his conquests. Yes she'd heard the stories and even those weren't enough to put her off, not when Draco kissed her the way he did.

She watched for a moment as Draco began to silently slide on his clothes, the silence comfortable and companionable not thick and awkward like it could have been, before Rayne too moved off of the sumptuous bed and began to dress.

When they were both once again fully clothed they stood together by the door, casting a last melancholy glance over the room. Neither really wanted to step out of the door. Draco grasped a hold of her hand and pulled her into a warm embrace, they shared a passionate kiss before he whispered to her, "We shouldn't leave together, would draw too much attention." He kissed her again, more briefly this time, before adding; "I'll go first, give me a couple of minutes then follow. You'll find you way back okay?" he asked kindly in a way that was very uncharacteristic of Draco.

Rayne smiled in response and nodded, pleased at the concern he showed for her.

"Good, I'll meet you down in the common room." He said and, planting a glancing kiss on her cheek, he left pulling the door shut behind him.

***

The deathly quiet of the dark corridor was suddenly broken by the sound of a door swinging open. Severus Snape's attention was suddenly snapped away from his irritated thoughts as he watched a door suddenly appear in the long stretch of blank wall and a familiar, blonde haired figure stepped out.

Snape rolled his eyes, it was about time there was some sign of life from inside that room, Merlin knew he'd been waiting long enough. Though these bitter thoughts were soon replaced by feelings of smugness, of course he'd been right in his suspicions how could he of even doubted it for a second. Fortunately for both him, and the students who would be attending his classes the next day, the night had not turned out to be an abysmal waste of time. Not only that, but they were leaving the room separately, things couldn't have worked out any better.

He watched as Draco pulled the door closed behind him, once again concealing the entrance to the enchanted room and set off down the corridor, the dungeons no doubt his intended destination. Now all Snape had to do was wait, that seemed to have been the story of his evening, but at least now it seemed to be slowly drawing to a conclusion.

Rayne would be sure to follow a few minutes behind Draco, and Snape would at last get what he'd been waiting for. A minute or so passed before the long, shadow dressed wall once again opened to reveal the entrance to the hidden room and out stepped a second figure. This one defiantly female with long cascading dark hair and pale skin which seemed to take on a luminescent quality in the dim moonlit corridor. She took a quick and cautious glance around her before stepping out into the darkness and tentatively closing the door behind her.

This was his chance, he watched as Rayne turned and began trace Draco's steps along the carpeted floor before he slipped himself silently out of the shadows. With long sweeping strides Snape paced behind her until he was close enough for her to sense his presence.

The gentle tremor of a second pair of footsteps on the floor, encroaching on her own, caused Rayne to slow in her pace. In hindsight this action was probably not the best of choices but it never occurred to her in that moment that perhaps she should flee. As the looming presence of another body drew closer her limbs seemed to grow cold and ceased to want to work, she'd been caught.

A hand reached out and curled its long, cold fingers round Rayne's wrist and pulled her back to lock her gaze with his black eyes.

Rayne stifled a yelp as she felt her arm suddenly wrenched around forceing her to meet the steely gaze of Professor Snape. Her eyes widened in shock as he sneered at her looking immensely smug and showing no sign of releasing his death grip on her arm.

"P-Professor, what are you doing up here?" she asked, cringing as soon as the words had left her lips. It was such a stupid thing to say, he had every right to be up there it was she that was in the wrong.

"I believe the question is what are you doing up here?" Snape crooned coldly, "Out for a moonlit stroll?" His sneer was echoed through his tone of voice but there was also a peculiar hint of triumph that caused Rayne to frown.

"I, um, was just going back to the dungeons Sir." She said carefully.

"Yes. But you shouldn't be out at all now should you? Or do you believe that your 'special' situation in this school makes you an exception to the rules?"

Her mouth dropped open at his words, his accusing tone raked across her nerves. Yes she was in the wrong but she certainly didn't think of herself like that. She bit back the retort that she longed to throw at him, knowing that it would only land her in even more trouble. "No Sir," she said bitterly, forcing herself to hold his gaze, "I just…"

"You just decided to ignore them?" He cut in, finally letting go of her arm to pace in a slow circle around her. "I believe that I have warned you once already Rayne, about watching your step, and yet you chose to defy my warning. I am afraid that this time I shall not be able to overlook your rule breaking." His pacing stopped as he leaned in to meet her purple eyes; his significant height and domineering presence making her feel incredibly small in comparison.

Rayne closed her eyes and looked away from him, his piercingly cold gaze gave her the impression that he could see into her thoughts. "I understand Sir." _Great, here it comes, _she thought with a sigh, _how on earth did he not catch Draco too am I really just that unlucky? _Shaking her head at her thoughts Rayne waited to hear what punishment he had in store for her.

"It disappoints me Rayne to find students from my own house out after curfew. And after the warning I have already issued to you I have no other choice but to give you detention." He said bluntly.

Rayne nodded; yes that was what she had been expecting. It could be worse but then she had heard that Snape's detentions could be particularly horrible. She'd opened her mouth to accept her punishment when a thought hit her, _wait, did he say students? As in more than one? So he did see Draco, but I bet Snape let him off with a warning or word of guidance or something._

"Tomorrow night, seven o clock in my office. Do not be late." Snape commanded before turning and breezing down the to opposite end of the corridor. He smirked to himself, things had gone exactly to plan, no matter how long he'd been stuck waiting and tomorrow things could really move along. Just imagine the advantage if the demons would come out of exile to join their forces, the war would be theirs.

Rayne stood silently in the corridor for a moment or two after Snape had stalked away. Well the detention had been expected but what bothered her was why Snape had been up there in the first place, she had yet to see him anywhere beyond the great hall and the dungeons. So why was he all of a sudden up on the seventh floor conveniently there to catch Rayne leaving the Room of Requirement?

With a furious shake of her head Rayne moved to make a swift trip down to the dungeons, thankfully not meeting another soul along the way. As she walked her thoughts twisted round and round inside her head until they had become mixed in a maddening tangle. Snape had seen Draco too he had to have done, so what had they said to each other? And why had he still been there waiting for her? Draco had told him something, she concluded her temper beginning to flare and she was going to find out exactly what was going on.

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	12. Beside the Dying Embers

**Just a short chapter to be going on with, sort of an interlude between here and the next stage in the story. I had originally intended to incorporate this into the next chapter but thought it was quite nice to stand alone despite it's short length. So I hope you enjoy this small update and the next will come soon in which I promise much drama and action.**

**A/N: Edited 28/11/08**

Beside the Dying Embers

The hidden entrance to the common room loomed ahead of Rayne as her footsteps echoed around the darkened stone passageway. A fire burned darkly in her eyes as she strode with a determined pace towards the doorway. Draco would be there waiting for her just as he'd said he would and she would reach the bottom of all of this.

It had been far too convenient, Snape being up there on the seventh floor to catch her there was no way it could have been a coincidence and Rayne was sure that Draco knew something about it, the two of them did after all have some sort of connection that went deeper than your average teacher/student relationship.

She came to a halt before the still closed doorway to the Slytherin common room. Rayne muttered the password in a bitter whisper and stepped into the enveloping warmth of the room. The light inside was dim, shadows danced across the walls cast by the dying embers of the once roaring fire. It was completely devoid of life save for one darkened figure that lay nonchalantly on the sofa, arms outspread, casual and inviting. The soft folds of his platinum hair glowed in the pale light as they fell around his face, not a single strand out of place despite the way it had been messed by Rayne's fingers in the heat of her passion.

Draco's attention snapped up to the door as it swung open and Rayne stepped inside. "There you are," he said raising himself off of the sofa to stand and greet her, "I thought you'd got lost or something."

Rayne pursed her lips and arched her pencil thin eyebrows at him, forcing herself to step away from his strong and inviting arms as he approached her for an embrace. It was difficult to refuse him, especially with the memories of their feverish love making still fresh in her mind, but she was bitter and irritated and was determined to reach some sort of conclusion about what had gone on that night before she would let herself be distracted again by Draco's 'charms'.

She dropped herself gracefully down into the soft cushions of the sofa and shook her head, "Not lost no," she said airily fixing Draco with a cold gaze. "Though I did have a rather unpleasant encounter with somebody," She watched his face trying to gauge any flicker of recognition or any attempt to hide what he really knew, but there was none. Silently Rayne seethed wishing that he would just make things easy and admit whatever he knew about Snape really wanted, but it appeared as if things weren't going to be that simple. _Never mind, _she thought to herself, _I'll find out what he knows one way or another. _"Can you guess who it was?" She asked sweetly, a forced smile coming to her lips.

Draco frowned at Rayne's change in attitude towards him and, though he would never openly admit it, was somewhat hurt that she had snubbed him when he had reached for her. Her eyes were cold and accusing as they bore through his own chilling something inside of him. Tentatively Draco moved to sit beside her, he would have to be cautious in his choice of words as her demeanour screamed with a dark and savage hunger that she was fighting desperately to control. Draco may have been overly proud and self-assured but he certainly was not stupid. "Somebody caught you?" He asked, his voice sounding carefully concerned, but was that for her or for himself?

Rayne nodded slowly, her eyes never flicking away from his as she scrutinised his every word and movement, searching desperately for the root of what he knew to reveal itself. Still she failed to see it; Draco must have been a master of deception to fool even her, she just could not be wrong about this it was all far too suspicious.

"Was it Filch and that vile wretch of a cat of his?" Draco asked, selecting what seemed to be the most obvious choice as his guess, it seemed that she though Draco would know precisely who it was that had caught her and Filch was the only one that immediately sprung to his mind.

"No, not Filch." She replied slowly, watching him as if waiting for more. "Are you really going to tell me that you don't know Draco?" she asked, her voice threatening to crack as she fought against the urge to vent her rage and emotion on him by making all of the accusations that were rioting inside of her head.

Draco deepened the furrows in his brow and shook his head, trying to comprehend some reasoning behind Rayne's coldness towards him, "No, I don't…"

"It was Professor Snape." Rayne spat with a sigh, cutting Draco off mid-sentence. She didn't want to dance around it any longer and shot him with the answer that she expected him already to know. Her eyes were dark and wide with the suppressed rage and hurt she felt when she studied Draco and his reaction expecting to see anything from denial to guilt or shame, but she found only confusion in his pale, pointed features and bright silver eyes.

"Snape?" he asked, truly astonished, "but why was he up on the seventh floor?" Draco searched his mind for some kind of explanation for his favourite professor's very out of character whereabouts before a sick sense of realisation began to wash over him. Of course Snape had known where the two of them were that night, it had been his suggestion in the first place. _So that was why he suggested that room, _Draco thought with a grimace, he'd been planning all along to catch Rayne. Perhaps he wanted a good enough excuse to have her removed from the school and, well, after the Umbridge incident surely anything would do to secure that.

"Are you really all that surprised Draco?" Rayne said harshly, "Can you really honestly tell me that you knew nothing about this?"

"No." Draco replied firmly, "I had no idea about Snape, honestly." He held her eyes, his gaze just as hard as her own as he pledged his innocence. Inside Draco felt himself begin to sink; he had practically handed her over to Snape but that had never really been his intention.

"Right," she said softly, her tone disbelieving but beginning to grow tired and frustrated with the lack of progress she was making. "But Draco you see it was more than just coincidence him being there. He was waiting for me and he saw you too I know he did. So please just save me all of the pretence and tell me what the fuck is going on."

"I told you I don't know." Draco retorted his own frustrations beginning to grow short, how had they gone from such a perfect evening to this in such a short space of time? He could tell that she was accusing him of betraying her to Snape and, well, he may have done exactly what Snape had wanted him to but Draco honestly had no idea about Snape's own motives in all of this. She had no right to jump to such rash conclusions, and after everything he had done for her. "He wasn't there when I left the Room of Requirement, I saw nobody all the way back down here. I really don't know why Snape was up there, he doesn't let me in on all of his secrets."

"Secrets? What secrets?" Rayne said beginning to feel exasperated with the whole situation. She wanted to believe every word that Draco had told her but there was still something he was holding back. "Draco you're skirting around something. Just tell me what you know please, you don't understand how much danger I could be in." She sighed, hating to admit her fears to him, but there was really nobody else who was in any position to help her find out what she needed to know. And nobody else that could put her into even deeper danger. She didn't trust Snape and whatever it was he had planned she could guarantee that it would be bad news for her.

Draco opened his mouth to reply but hesitated with his words, "Wait, what do you mean? What danger?"

Closing her eyes, Rayne looked away from him for the first time since she'd stepped back into the common room. "I can't really explain, I'm not even certain that I know for sure but…" She paused, beginning to feel exhausted with the subject, she wanted nothing more than to just forget it all and sink back into Draco's strong arms. She felt a little bad for how rashly she had accused him, but there was no denying that he did know something. "I just don't trust what he wants with me Draco and you know something. It doesn't matter how small I need to know." She looked up and met his eyes with a far softer, pleading gaze. She still wanted so much to believe that he would be the one to help her, she just couldn't bring herself to trust him, not fully, when he was so obviously hiding something from her.

Absently Draco picked at his fingernails wondering how best to word his response so to extract himself from any position of guilt that it may it may land him in. Yes it was true that he had probably planted the entire idea, whatever it was, into Snape's head but he'd really had nothing more to do with its orchestration and knew only slightly more than Rayne did herself. "I told you the truth, I really don't know what Snape's plan or motives are." He said glancing up at her, best to get the plea for innocence in at the start. "But I do know how he knew we were there."

"You told him?" Rayne asked, not really wanting to believe. She wished that Draco was as ignorant of it all as she herself was.

"No." Draco shook his head, "That's not exactly something I'm likely to share with a teacher. He'd found out about the little, ah, incident in the common room and 'advised' me that we should choose to have such rendezvous in a more private place." He explained picking his words carefully.

"He suggested that room." Rayne said, a light of realisation beginning to cast its glow over things. Though Snape's ultimate intentions were still no clearer, to either of them, at least she could rule Draco out of any _real_ guilt.

"Yes. I suppose I should have found something unusual in his suggestion but, well, to be honest I was glad of the tip. I can hardly deny how much I wanted you there and why it benefited Snape to tell me never even crossed my mind." Draco purred his voice a sensual caress trying to soothe Rayne's sore nerves.

She found herself unable to hold back the small smile that Draco's words and tone of voice tugged at her lips. "No, I suppose I can't really blame you for all of this. I'm sorry for my being irrational." Rayne said meekly. She felt she had to apologise for blaming him and didn't want the amazing night they had spent together to be spoiled any more than it already had been. "You just have to understand that I'm so out of place here, there is nobody I feel I can really trust."

Draco shifted his body closer to her, settling himself more comfortably against the cushions and he reached out to grasp her hands. "Not even me?" He asked. It was a stupid question, she had no reason to trust him now but his ego would not allow him to simply dismiss her words, not after the night they had spent together.

"More than most perhaps, but not with everything." She said honestly with a sad smile. She gave in and sank down into Draco's warm, comforting arms. "I want to though," she added sleepily, snuggling closer to his chest and inhaling his familiar scent, "Give me a good reason to trust you Draco." Rayne whispered as she began to drift off to sleep.

Draco watched as the beautiful creature in his arms closed her eyes and became a perfect, statuesque figure of marble as she slept. He sighed and moved them both so they lay across the sofa, still holding her body close to him. "I wish I could."

* * *


	13. Demonic Assassin

**A more substantial chapter than the last. Here we shall see the beginnings of Rayne's detention with Snape that does not seem to go as planned.**

**A/N: Edited 28/11/08**

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Demonic Assassin

Rayne awoke the next morning, stiff necked and groggy from the awkward position in which she had slept on the common room sofa. Draco was still breathing softly and the room was quiet indicating the earliness of the hour. She groaned and closed her eyes again, they felt dry and gritty and her head was beginning to throb. She'd have to resort to digging around in her trunk for another vial of blood before she could even begin to think about functioning properly for the day.

She tore herself away from the arms of her blonde haired companion and trudged up the stairs towards her dormitory praying that the other girls would still be asleep, she was in no mood for interrogation. She reached the door and muffled voices could be heard coming from inside signalling that they were not only awake but up and active too. Rayne grimaced, pressing her forehead against the cool wooden panel, taking a deep breath and exhaling loudly before she pushed open the door and stepped into the room. The conversations hushed but did not halt as she crossed the floor towards what was considered to be her bed, for how little time she actually seemed to spend in it, ignoring the looks that were cast towards her as she passed. She dragged her fingers through her mess of black tangles and flipped open her trunk, digging deeply for the rapidly depleting supply of vials she had brought, originally just for emergencies that were had become more like a lifeline. She had a feeling that day was going to be very long and exhausting what with lessons and then Snape's detention later that evening.

Rayne finally managed to extract a single glass vial, filled almost to the brim with thickening, deep red blood, from the mess that was her belongings and gazed at it for a second. The cork came out with a pop and Rayne turned her nose up at the steadily congealing liquid that had coagulated around the rim. _This stuff really doesn't keep well even with those charms, _she thought to herself as she tipped the syrupy liquid down her throat.

"Ugh, what on earth is that?" Rayne heard a voice from behind her exclaim, it's tone thick with disgust.

Choking down the near indigestible blood Rayne coughed back, "Exactly what it looks like." She could feel it swimming heavily in her stomach and it didn't feel nearly as powerful as it should have. She would need to get her hands on some fresh soon, especially if she was going to keep up with this charade of being the 'peculiar transfer student' for long enough to get her job done.

"But it looks like…like blood!" The same voice stated, the hesitation clear as if actually voicing it aloud would somehow make it all the worse if it turned out to be true.

With a sigh Rayne re-corked the soiled, empty vial and tossed it back into her trunk before slamming the lid shut. She turned slowly, the movement still making her head pound painfully and the blood in her stomach causing only a wave of nausea to wash over her, _today is not going to be a good day. _"Then perhaps that is what it was." Rayne said flatly to the girl's face, no hint of emotion coming through in her voice.

The blonde girl she was facing frowned before a wide eyed look of apprehension came to her all too perfectly proportioned face, "What are you then, some kind of vampire?" She asked stupidly, it may have been a logical conclusion to some but it only caused Rayne to feel irritated.

Rolling her eyes Rayne said, "Yes I'm a fucking vampire," her voice was dripping with sarcasm, "now watch me go and turn to dust in the **morning sunlight**." Shaking her head Rayne stalked past them all towards the door of the dormitory. As she left she could be heard to mutter, "Vampire my Arse!"

***

Draco was sat up on the sofa when Rayne emerged from the dormitory doorway; he had wondered where she'd slipped off to so early. "There you are. I was beginning to think you'd gone down to breakfast without even a word."

She looked him over wondering how on earth he could look so impeccable after so little sleep, on a sofa no less. She forced a smile despite the fact that it was almost painful to even move her face. "No I just had to get something from my trunk and didn't want to wake you."

Rayne moved to sit beside Draco as she willed the throbbing at her temples to stop. He studied her face which looked slightly ashen, though her deep amethyst eyes were still bright and clear despite the shadows that crept beneath them. She looked washed out and drained but after everything what did he really expect, it had been a long week already. "You okay?" He asked, smoothing her raven tresses.

"Yeah I'll be fine," She said, regretting accompanying her words with a nod that seemed to cause her brain to crash painfully against the inside of her skull. "Just a lack of sleep is all. By all rights I should be a nocturnal creature, more or less. But that just doesn't seem to be practical around here." Her tone was flat and a little melancholy. It was times such as these that made her want to forget it all and go back home, though she'd hardly be welcomed with open arms if she went back defeated.

"No we usually work on a dawn to dusk schedule." Draco said with a grin, hoping to lighten her leaden mood.

"More like dawn to dawn." Rayne said with a roll of her eyes, "Now take me up to the Great Hall where I can drown myself in coffee. Because I have a feeling that today is going to be just as long. I have detention with Snape later to look forward to." Her tone was thick with sarcasm but she did have a feeling that taking the attitude of the sooner her day begins then the sooner it will be over was probably a good plan of action.

The walk up to the Great Hall did little to clear Rayne's head, the sound of their footsteps ringing off of the cold flagstones rolled repeatedly through her ears until the throb in her head began to beat with it in unison. _I have to get outside this place is suffocating, _she thought desperately to herself.

Draco seemed to sense her discomfort and, raising a hand to gently squeeze her shoulder, he ventured to ask again, "Are you sure that you're okay?"

She sighed and paused in her steps to look into his handsome face, "Fine. It's just this headache that's all. We've got care of magical creatures this morning right?" She said, hoping that she was thinking of the right day on her timetable.

Draco nodded a vague look of concern still gracing his aristocratic features.

"Good, a morning in the fresh air should work wonders. I'll be good as new after, you'll see." She said optimistically as she forced out a tight-lipped smile.

***

Well the morning fresh air did do Rayne some ounce of good. She was no longer being plagued by that nagging headache but she was still profoundly tired and drawn. Other than the forbidding prospect of whatever unpleasant task it was that Snape had planned for her that evening there was nothing but sleep on her mind.

She had received a message at the end of their final class of the afternoon reminding her, as if she would have forgotten in such a short space of time, that she was to be in Snape's office at 7'o'clock that evening. Though it offered no inclination as to what she would be doing, nor how long she could expect to be there for.

Dinner passed in what seemed like mere minutes as Rayne sat, grey faced and lost in her own mind as she pushed the food around her plate. Draco tried repeatedly to snap her to attention and engage her in conversation, but Rayne would only vaguely participate before slipping back. It looked as though a return trip to the Room of Requirement would bee out of the question for a number of days to allow her to gain back some sense of normality and give her some time to recover from what had been a strange and chaotic week.

"You'd better head down for your detention," Draco prodded as he tried to catch Rayne's eye.

She sighed and nodded, finally properly snapping out of her internal reverie and looking down at the time on her wrist. "You're right. Snape'll probably have me crucified if I'm late for this after everything."

"Want me to walk down with you?" He asked, moving to stand before she'd even opened her mouth to reply.

"Do I really have a choice?" She asked managing to crack a genuine smile at his eagerness, "That would be nice, thank you." She added just so he knew for sure that she hadn't been about to refuse his offer of company.

"So what is it he's making you do?" Draco asked, finding himself slightly pressed for a topic of conversation, which felt exceedingly odd.

"I have no idea. Something tedious and vile no doubt." Rayne answered with a sneer, "That would seem like Snape's style isn't it?"

Draco laughed softly even though it was Rayne's misfortune that they were discussing. "Yes you're probably right." They were nearly at Snape's office but Draco hoped to snatch a few quick seconds together before he would have to leave her. Reaching out he grasped her hand and pulled her against him in a nearby doorway, catching a few quick kisses before he whispered, "Try not to be too late back, you look like you could use a weeks worth of sleep." He held her chin lightly in his hands and Draco ran his thumbs below Rayne's eyes as if trying to smooth away the dark shadows that dusted her pale skin.

"I wont be if I have any say in the matter, but I wouldn't hold your breath." She replied leaning in for one last kiss before stepping away and knocking on the door that stood just ahead of them.

"Come in." Said a silky voice from behind the thick panel of wood.

"To my parlour said the spider to the fly." Rayne muttered under her breath, not liking how that analogy suddenly sprang to mind, she didn't at all want to be the fly. Licking her dark lips she pushed open the heavy door and stepped inside. The harsh click as it shut signalling that there was now no way to go back.

"Ah Rayne. Glad to see that you had the sense to make it on time." Snape sneered from behind his desk. A wicked smile curved on his lips as he stood to sweep around behind Rayne and guide her to her designated task. "Classes are to be making shrinking solutions next week but I seem to have run out of rat spleens. I do however have an abundance of whole rats, therefore I should like you to gut them and separate out any useful potion ingredients from the bodies." He explained indicating a barrel full of dead rats and numerous glass jars that were waiting to be filled. "You have an hour to work through this little lot, when I come back we shall see if I feel you have worked hard enough for me to let you go." He crooned icily, that same unsettling smile ringing through in his voice letting Rayne know that it was still there even though she could no longer see it.

"Yes Sir." She muttered flatly. Gutting rats? That was not at all how she'd pictured her evening, but still there were worse things in the world.

"Good. Then I shall return in one hour, now get to work. Oh and be advised that I shall only be across the hall so be wise and do as you have been instructed. Trust that I will know if you have not." With that he left the room leaving Rayne to sigh and trudge with heavy eyes towards the stinking barrel of dead rats.

On the table top, lined along one side with the glass jars, lay a silver knife, a board on which she would work and a list of the various body parts that should be gathered for potion use. "Fun, fun, fun." Rayne muttered bitterly as she reached for the first, furry, dead creature. It's body was stiff from the onset of rigor, they'd obviously not died any earlier than that very day and the rigor mortis would prove to make her job all the more difficult.

She slapped the rat down onto the work board and grabbed the knife in her right hand ready to begin the first dissection of many.

"Right, tails. Well that's easy enough." She said reading aloud off of the list that Snape had provided. A swift slice of the gleaming silver blade removed the rats' worm like tail, which Rayne then dropped into the first of the jars.

"Hmm, heart, spleen. I'll get to those in a minute, anything else external before I start slicing it to pieces. Ah yes claws and **eyes**! How on earth am I supposed to gouge out a rats eye?" She asked herself with a groan whilst removing the rats' toes and dropping the sharp little claws into a second, smaller jar.

Putting down the knife, which would be far too large and clumsy to remove a rats' eye with, Rayne scanned the tabletop for anything else that might be of any use. Her eyes fell on a pointed, needle like instrument that had a small scoop shaped tip at one end. That must be, Rayne assumed, the perfect instrument for just such a task.

Gripping it firmly in one hand Rayne inserted the sharp end of the metal rod against the edge of the rats' eye socket and scored all of the way around. A frown of concentration furrowed her brow as she next inserted the spoon like end and pushed up from beneath the creatures beady, little, black eye. She began to grin with a sick sense of satisfaction as the eye popped out of the creatures' skull whole and unspoiled. Maybe this whole task wouldn't be as bad as she thought; tearing things to pieces was, after all, what she was good at.

Rayne set back to work with some sense of enthusiasm in her movements, who knew that a detention with Professor Snape could remind her of exactly why she had agreed to go to the school in the first place. To give a teasing taste of what she had to look forward to once her kin were free of their banishment.

With a renewed sense of optimism about more than just the immediate task at hand, the time she spent in Snape's office seemed to fly and her dissections were performed gradually quicker and quicker as the repeated process began to feel almost like second nature. The time was nearing a quarter to eight when Rayne heard the door behind her open and then click closed again. She frowned and glanced down at her wrist to verify that she had read the time correctly. If it was Snape coming back then he was early, an entire fifteen minutes early, but he struck Rayne as the type of person to be very precise when it came to timekeeping. She had a feeling that when Snape said an hour he meant exactly an hour and that whoever had just entered the office was not Professor Snape.

She turned away from her work to look towards the door, wondering who on earth would want to intrude upon her detention, but there was not a soul to be seen. Rayne double-checked and looked further around her, but there was nothing. She was not mistaken surely, that door had defiantly opened but there was nobody in the room beside herself, or at least nobody who could be seen. Quite obviously a ghost would not use the door but someone with an invisibility cloak or a charm of some sort now that was a different matter.

Rayne stood stock-still and stared hard at the door, the silver knife was still in her hand and she tightened her grip around its handle. "Hello? Who's there? Show yourself." She commanded, her voice steady despite the apprehension she felt burning in the pit of her stomach.

She watched as the air before her flickered and solidified into a tall and domineering figure. Rayne's eyes widened as she caught the gaze of an identical set of amethyst orbs, set in an all too familiar face. A stern look graced his hard features as he surveyed the scene in the room, his gaze finally boring into Rayne's own as she opened her mouth and managed to softly voice, "Father, what are you doing here?"

"Rayne, I am here on behalf of the Order of the Blood to inform you of a review of you situation." He said in a deep, harsh voice. His stance was rigid and stern and his words even more formal than she was used to hearing from him. "It has been drawn to our attention that, due to a lack of care and vigilance, a dangerous amount of information about your task has been exposed and that you are now the object of some suspicion. Trouble has been foreseen that could pose a potential threat to our plans and position if you were to continue in your task."

Rayne frowned at the mass of formal rambling that had been thrown at her, but as she worked her way around all of the unnecessary words the overall message rang loud and clear. Her father had obviously been sent in an official capacity to issue her with this message, but Rayne could not fully understand one thing, who suspected her of what? "What do you mean, what threat? Nobody knows anything about this, I've not said a word." She raised her hands in a display of innocence, marred slightly by the gleaming silver blade that she refused to let drop from her hand.

"The Order has come to a decision that this threat must be eliminated if all of our plans are to come to pass, therefore your mission has been revoked. And for negligence in your duties so has your position within the Order."

Her mouth dropped open in horror at his words, not daring to believe that they were true. "But I still don't understand how have I neglected my duties? I didn't reveal a word to anybody." _Well the things I told Draco certainly don't count I gave him the same story that everybody heard, mostly. _"Who is it that poses this threat and how can they when they know nothing?" She asked, aware that she was beginning to sound slightly hysterical. As she awaited the answer to her questions, or as close to answers as she was going to get, a dreadful thought came to mind, who wouldn't bet that this all had something to do with Snape?

"They have a way of extracting the information that they want from you and they have you here tonight with the intention of doing just that."

_It is Snape. Fuck! I knew he was up to something the bastard. But now where does this leave me. _She thought, her surge of anger slowly petering out to be replaced by a hollow sense of foreboding. She looked up into the face of the man that had sired her power but never once expected the words that then came from his mouth.

"In the interest of the Order this information must be destroyed."

"D-destroyed? How do you mean destroyed?" Rayne stuttered in reply not wanting to imagine how they could destroy some information that was stored inside of her head. She had a feeling that her father wasn't just there to take her back home, not when she had been cast out of the Order, and feared what that meant for her. Her face fell and she dropped the knife from her grip where it clattered against the stone floor, like it would really be any help to her anyway. Her eyes twitched around the room in search of any route of escape as she ventured to ask the question that filled her with a deep sense of fear, "What's going to happen to me?"

"We have to ensure that you can never be found in order to protect ourselves, or we'll never be able to break the bonds of our banishment. We have to leave them with nothing to follow and therefore it is you that must be destroyed."

Rayne shook her head in disbelief, moving backwards a few steps until she felt the edge of the table bump against her back. "But I'm nothing compared to the power in the Order, why kill me?"

"You are disposable. After this is all over we shall be able to begin with our plans again, without the threat of any interference." With that he raised one large hand and muttering inaudibly below his breath thrust his palm towards Rayne.

She could feel the air pressure begin to change around her and, not a moment too soon, Rayne shrieked and dived beneath the large table, covering her eyes as the jars shattered showering the room with glittering shards of glass.


	14. Unlikely Saviour

Chapter 14 finally up, its been a long time coming. I've been a little lax in my writing just lately and this is not a particularly long chapter but I hope you like.

A/N: 29/11/08

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Unlikely Saviour

The sound of shattering glass permeated the thick wood of the dungeon door and Rayne's resounding shriek reached the ears of Severus Snape as he sat in a quiet revere across the corridor. He'd been patiently awaiting the arrival of Lucius Malfoy, but the sound instantly snared his attention and caused a flush of anger to rise in his cheeks.

"What on earth is that damned girl doing?" He spat. A snarl curled his lips as he rose from his seat and headed towards the door.

Snape's footsteps rang shrilly on the stone floor of the corridor as he walked the short distance to his office. Roughly he grabbed the door handle and pushed, but the door would not move not even an inch. A frown ran in deep angry furrows across his forehead and his pale, sallow skin began to flush red. He grasped the door handle more firmly and shoved hard against the wooden panel. The heavy door gave a little under his force and a crack of light appeared around it's edges before it was suddenly slammed back in his face.

***

Rayne's hands covered her face, shielding her eyes from the raining shards of glass as they tumbled to lay glittering on the floor of Snape's office. Her breathing was hard and heavy as her heart pounded wildly in her chest, that had been far too close a call but how in the hell was she supposed to get out of that room in one piece?

"Don't run from me Rayne," She heard her fathers voice chime from above her as his heavy footsteps crunched across the floor, "Don't make this worse than it has to be."

She could see his feet edging closer and closer to where she lay sheltered. He was in no hurry to reach her for in truth she was sheltered but also trapped. Her entire body began to tremble uncontrollably as the reality of her hopeless situation began to sink in. She'd been but a mere pawn to them, an expendable asset so easily disposed of when things threatened to turn ugly. How could she have been so naïve and bought into their stories of power and glory. She should have known what hideous truth would lay behind their plans, after all it was the nature of her heritage.

Rayne sighed despairingly and swallowed hard on her pride. There really was going to be no escape for her and so she decided to take what little choice she had and go down the easy way, without any more of a fight.

Beneath the table she shifted to her knees and was about to move out from beneath the shelter, intending to offer up he life for her failure. She was inches away from exposing her trembling form to the inevitable when she heard a noise from outside of the door. She'd forgotten about Snape being just across the corridor, her screams must have alerted him to something amiss. A faint sense of hope began to grow inside of her once again. Maybe there would be a way out but somehow placing all of her hope on Severus Snape seemed to be a little foolish and yet it was the only shred of hope she had.

Looking up and over the surface of the table she noticed the noise at the door had also caught her fathers attention. Momentarily he flicked his gaze from watching and waiting for Rayne to emerge to focus upon the door to the office. He raised a hand, extracting some magical force from within his body to hold the door closed against any efforts that Professor Snape may put in to opening it. However it would only stay that way if he continued to hold his power against the door. Rayne, seeing his distraction, took the moment as her opportunity to move. She slipped out from behind the table and darted towards Professor Snapes desk.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw her move, _sneaky sneaky, _he thought to himself with a scowl. He had to think of her now a mere treacherous failure to the Order and all of his kind, he had to detach himself from her in order to make the job as simple as it could be. He moved in the blink of an eye to direct a second burst of searing power towards her but had to relinquish his hold on the door as he did so.

Rayne felt the air around her ripple with the flow of raw power, the atmosphere in the room compressing with the force of his magic, as it hurtled towards her. She felt her chest tighten, fighting against the crushing force to function normally, and the pain spread in a continual ache to every point in her body and this was before the true force of his curse had even reached her.

In a last ditch attempt to save herself Rayne tried desperately to raise a magical shield to deflect the force of the demonic power. Concentrating hard on holding the shield in place, Rayne braced herself as the force of her fathers curse crashed against her. She felt not the searing pain that should have come with that kind of magic, her shield had at least blocked its killing effects, but the force of it's impact sent her hurtling backwards. It dragged her feet from the ground and slammed her backwards against a bookcase lined with rows and rows of glass jars.

Rayne felt the impact knock the air from her lungs. She gasped for breath as the shock began to give way and the pain to set in. The jars behind her had shattered ripping through the thin fabric of her robes and piercing her flesh with splinters of glass. The rancid contents of the jars spilled out over the shelves and down to the floor, it gushed into Rayne's open wounds on its way and made her skin feel as if it were on fire.

It seemed to her that she stayed suspended in the air, pressed hard against the shelves of the ruined bookcase, for longer than should have been possible but in reality it was no more than seconds before she began to take the sudden plunge back towards the ground. She headed face first towards the hard stone floor, stretching out her hands to brace her body and prevent her nose from braking. She felt her hands smack against the cold and wet stone, shards of glass burying themselves into her palms and beginning to sting violently with the intrusion of the acidic potion Snape had used to preserve whatever he had kept in those jars.

Rayne gasped in pain, tears beginning to fill her amethyst eyes but she refused to let herself cry. She looked up from the floor, a pathetic sight of torn robes and violent red as blood seeped from her pale skin, her long and sleek hair tangled and streaked with filth and blood that also littered the floor. She met with his eyes and waited, expecting him to deliver that final and finishing blast at her broken form but it did not come.

From behind a film of tears Rayne could see the door move once again, opening enough so that a crack of light from the office escaped through the gap. She saw her father turn to shove the door roughly back into it's frame, he was fuming with how difficult Rayne was being and he did not want the distraction of someone else trying to interfere.

Rayne grimaced with pain as she tried to move, as much as she hated to admit it she longed to see Snape appear from behind that door. She moved to her knees and began to summon all of the power she could muster, forcing this outwards to slam against her fathers distracted figure. The force behind her magic seemed feeble in comparison to his but it served to make him stumble and relinquish his force that held the door closed.

From out in the corridor she could hear Professor Snape demand, "Rayne open the door, let me in this instant."

She gazed in all hope at the dark and heavy wooden panel which was cutting her off from safety, willing Snape to be persistent and try to open the door again. Rayne parted her lips and was about to call out, to cry for help, when she felt a large hand clamp itself over her mouth and a second snake its fingers around her throat.

"I don't think so." He spat viciously at her. He dragged Rayne to her feet and began to levitate, raising both himself and her high into the air, as high as the room would allow. He pressed Rayne's torn back against the rough stone wall of the dungeon and hung her there by her throat. "I'm not completely adverse to the more mundane ways of killing since you so insist on making this all the harder on yourself." He said in a harsh whisper, standing on the air as if it were solid ground.

Rayne felt what little strength she had left begin to leave her body as she struggled in vain to catch a breath against his constricting fingers. She whimpered in fear and pain, moving to try and push away from the wall to relieve some of the pressure at her neck but his fingers gripped all the more tightly and Rayne feared that he would crush her throat to a pulp.

A black fog began to descend before her eyes and her head began to spin as the lack of oxygen slowly shut down the functions of her body. The world blurred and Rayne began to slip so far away that she barely felt the fingers wrench themselves away from her throat, or how she plummeted to the floor to lay in a crumpled heap of robes, hair and blood.

***

Snape tried the door again, one final time before he would resort to blasting it out of his way and this time the door gave easily. He pushed it all the way open and hurried into the room surveying the mess that he would once have called his office. At first he could not see where Rayne was but his eyes caught site of some movement up close to the ceiling and Snape found his eyes widen in shock as what he saw there.

There was Rayne hanging pressed against the wall as a man held her throat in a death grip, draining the life from her body. _No, that cannot happen. If she dies then all that she knows will die along with her, it would spoil everything. _Snape raised his wand and aimed it carefully at the mans back, who seemed to remain completely oblivious to Snapes presence in the room. He formed a non-verbal spell in his head and directed a violent jet of red light across the room where it broke upon the mans skin.

Snapes spell threw the mans form away from Rayne, whose seemingly lifeless body tumbled down to the office floor, and yet he continued to hover several feet in the air. The gleam that shone in his violently purple eyes gave Snape the impression that he would have liked to tear every appendage from the Professors body, but the man did not move upon him. Snape stood, his wand poised ready for a battle to ensue but instead the man turned and walked on air towards the open door. Snape was about to call out, to order the man to stop, even to hex him if the need came to it but, as he looked on, the man headed out into the corridor and began to literally fade away to nothing until there was no trace of him remaining.

Snape blinked hard, trying to be sure that his eyes had not played tricks on him, but the man definitely was not there anymore.

He was forced to drag his thoughts back into his office, where Rayne still lay in a crumpled and lifeless heap on the cold stone floor. The longer that she lay there the lower and lower her chances of surviving her ordeal grew and if she died then everything they wanted to know from her would be taken away with little to no hope of there being a second chance to learn it again. He hurried towards her, glass crunching beneath his footsteps, and knelt down by her side. A concerned frown crossed his brow as he moved her hair and pressed two fingers to her bruised neck in search of a pulse. It was there but very faint, she would need to get up to the hospital wing, and urgently.

***

"Severus. What on earth happened here?" A familiar voice drawled.

Snape looked up into the face of his silver-blonde haired companion. "It appears that Rayne had a visitor, and I don't believe that it was a social call."

"Is she alive?" Lucius asked bluntly.

"Barely," Snape replied, "I'll take her up to the hospital wing. My apologies Lucius but I believe our informative evening may have to be postponed." He stood and placed a charm over Raynes body so that it floated, as if carried by an invisible stretcher, and he began to make for the door.

"Not a problem Severus." Lucius replied silkily, "This little incident could make what she has to tell us all the more intriguing."

* * *


	15. Exit Strategy

**A/N: Rayne is in bad shape and everybody wants to know what's been going on. But they're all unaware of the danger that is lurking just around the corner in wait for her. Time to make a hasty exit!**

**Edited 18/12/09  
**

* * *

Professor Snape marched up from the dungeons, his long strides eating away the stretch of corridors to the hospital wing. Rayne floated along behind him, as if supported by invisible hands, still out cold and a steady trickling trail of blood dripped to the floor from the wounds on her back betraying from where they had ventured. Filch would be seething when he discovered the rusty coloured stains that were tainting his usually gleaming floors, but no matter. Snape wasn't sure exactly how physiology worked for a demon, but if her body functioned anything like a human then Rayne was in urgent need of some medical attention.

Snape was more than certain that Madam Pomfrey would be able to have Rayne fixed up in next to no time, but it was essential that he hurried. After all, the girl was of no use to him dead.

With a flourish of his wand Snape threw open the large double doors that led into the ward of the hospital wing, calling out as he entered. "Poppy hurry, we have an emergency." He lowered Rayne onto the nearest bed dropping her a little roughly against the sheets but Rayne was still dead to the world and did not so much as flinch as her torn back rubbed against the rough fabric.

"My goodness, what on earth happened to her?" Madam Pomfrey exclaimed as she hurried out of her office.

"Don't ask Poppy, you'll not wish to hear the answer." Snape replied icily, his eyes narrowing as he looked over Rayne's broken and dishevelled form. " She almost choked to death and has lost a great deal of blood, can you help her?" He explained bluntly casting his gaze away from Rayne to look firmly at the schools nurse.

"Why yes indeed I can Professor, but what…" Madam Pomfrey began, a little hesitant under Professor Snape's icy stare, but she did not finish her question as he cut across her.

"I said do not ask." He snapped, "You know of her 'situation' and I trust that this will be taken into account whilst you are treating her." He then made his way back towards the doors, not at all willing to answer any of the questions he knew must have been burning inside of the woman, letting anything slip could seriously jeopardize his plans. "When she is capable of discussing things please send for me straight away, there are some matters that I must discuss with her urgently." With that he shoved open the doors and breezed back down the corridors towards the dungeons. He would have to give his plan a re-think.

The door slammed shut and Madam Pomfrey gazed at it bewildered for a few seconds before she remembered about the patient she should be treating. With a shake of her head Poppy turned away from the door, _there was always something about that man I didn't trust and now this? He's hiding something I'm almost certain._

Poppy stood over Rayne and assessed her condition, for starters she'd need a blood replenishing potion and a decent healing charm for the cuts on her back but apart from that there was really nothing more that she could do. Rayne would have to be left to come around herself. Her breathing seemed fine and only the bruising around her neck gave any indication that she'd choked.

Madam Pomfrey leaned in closer to Rayne looking carefully at the pattern of the vicious bruises, only really noticing them for the first time. "But why they're finger marks!" She exclaimed in horrified tones. She wasn't exactly sure what she'd been expecting after hearing that the girl had choked but, upon seeing the marks, what they seemed to indicate became almost clear as day. Somebody had tried to kill the girl.

Madam Pomfrey stood back and wondered who could possibly have tried to do such a thing and, though it horrified her to think so, she could only draw one conclusion. "Oh Severus surely not." She muttered sadly. Of course she knew all about his shady past, what member of staff didn't but attacking a student? Well she never thought she'd see the day.

With a sigh and a shake of her head, Poppy turned away from the bed and headed towards the large cabinets that stored all of her medicinal potions; now she had a dilemma on her hands. What should she do? Should she go and inform Professor Dumbledore of her suspicions? Or would that just be jumping to conclusions far too quickly? After all she had no real evidence to suggest that it was Professor Snape who had tried to kill the girl and if anything he had helped to save her by bringing her up to the hospital wing so quickly.

"Severus was right, I don't think I do want to know what's been going on here, far too many complications." She muttered grabbing a vial of blood replenishing potion and turning back towards the bed. _No I can't do anything just yet, once the girl wakes up I'll ask her a few questions herself then take it from there, _she concluded. That seemed like the only logical path of action. One thing was for sure, however, she'd not be leaving Professor Snape alone with the girl.

Dropping the vial of potion down onto the small table set beside the bed, Poppy rolled the demon girl onto her side to take a closer look at the cuts on her back. Waving her wand she muttered a spell under her breath and watched as the bleeding slowed to the barest weep. Unfortunately the preserving potion that had been inside those jars had a peculiar effect on the wounds and prevented them from closing properly, they would have to be given time to heal naturally but at least she would lose no more blood.

Carefully laying her back down Madam Pomfrey uncorked the vial of blood replenishing potion and, lifting the girls head, tipped it's contents between her dark lips ensuring that it was swallowed and that she did not choke, not again tonight. Now there was nothing more that she could do for the girl except let her rest and then question her when she awoke.

Rayne's head throbbed painfully as she stirred against the clean, starched sheets of the hospital wing bed. It hurt to move, even to open her eyes was an effort as she peered around the room; squinting through barely cracked eyelids in some attempt to identify where she was.

Well she wasn't dead, that had to be certain, being dead surely wouldn't hurt this much. No she was alive but only just. Her mouth felt like cotton wool and it was horribly painful to swallow. Lifting a pale hand Rayne traced the garish bruises that wrapped themselves around her neck and closed her eyes again in horror at the memory.

"Shit," she whispered hoarsely, swallowing hard against the damaged flesh of her throat, the events of the night flooding back to her clear as day. Grimacing, Rayne pulled herself to a sitting position gasping at the stabbing pains that ripped across her back as she dragged her torn skin against the sheets.

Breathing hard against the pain of moving Rayne swung her legs over the side of the bed and steadying herself to stand when a fierce burning erupted on her wrist. The thick black lines of the glyph that was etched into her skin began to glow red hot, the lines lengthened to meet in the centre of the ring and the whole thing cooled to a deep blood red.

Rayne looked on in fear as she recognised the sign, her crystal purple eyes shining with tears. She'd been exiled, banished from the Order and marked with a price on her head.

That was it she had to get away from there. Demons would come in swarms to find her, kill her all for a taste of the Orders praise. Hoping desperately that they would be honoured in her place for punishing her for failure. They would never get the praise they longed for but that didn't matter to Rayne, they would still have her head.

Rayne rose to her feet, the pain in her head and back all but forgotten in her earnest panic to get away. She tried to straighten her crumpled robes but soon gave up; they were already torn and so thick with blood that a few creases would hardly notice in comparison. She scanned the room quickly and saw no sign of Madam Pomfrey, she must have been nicely tucked away in her living quarters by then given the lateness of the hour. If Rayne was quiet she could slip away unheard.

She breezed swiftly across the room towards the large double doors and paused for a second, double checking that she was still alone, before cracking open the door and slipping out into the dimly lit corridor.

Rayne didn't bother to sneak nor peer around corners for any Prefects or Professors that may be lurking there, waiting to catch some unsuspecting troublemakers who were out of bed in the middle of the night. No, anybody who got in her way that night would be in a whole world of trouble themselves. She'd stamped down on her instincts and desires to tear people to pieces when they pissed her off since she'd arrived there but that night things had changed. She had to get away from Hogwarts and nobody was going to stand in her way, her very life depended on it.

The majority of the demon population knew exactly where she had been sent and who knew how many blood thirsty bounty hunters were already winging their way towards the school. Rayne had no choice she had to run, try to confuse those that were after her, perhaps hide for a while until she could think of something that might help her.

Rayne made it down to the dungeons without any hindrance, _good, I'm sure Filch would much rather go without having to clean up someone's brains after I'd splattered them all over the walls, _she thought bitterly to herself. Things there had not gone at all to plan and, one thing that was damn certain, if Snape had just minded his own business she wouldn't be in this situation. "Poking his big nose in where it doesn't belong, maybe he'd like a real taste of the horror that he's so interested in." Rayne spat, sneering as she approached the hidden entrance into the Slytherin common room.

"Emerald Moon," She breathed with a sigh. No, there was no time for revenge, no matter how sweet it would taste. Every moment she wasted allowed the impending danger to draw closer still. Besides it could very well have been Snape that had saved her from her fathers assassination attempt in the first place so technically she owed him something. Allowing him to keep his own life would suffice.

In long sweeping strides Rayne breezed her way across the common room and towards the girls dormitory. She slammed open the door and ran up the stairs, ignoring the pounding in her head as it echoed with every heavy footstep. She stormed into the dormitory, not caring if she awoke the entire room. With all of the conflicting emotions that were rioting inside of her at that moment she was just itching for someone to take it out on.

Rayne flew to her bed and swung open the heavy lid of her blackwood trunk, allowing it to slam against the foot of what was her bed. She dug around amongst it's varied contents and pulled out a change of clothes, not only were the ones she was wearing ruined the Hogwarts uniform would be far too distinguishable once she was away from the school. She tore off the torn robes and discarded them on the floor, exchanging the badly stained white shirt for a more comfortable one in deep red. The sensible grey skirt too was torn away and Rayne slid on a pair of black trousers made from thick and worn leather.

Slamming shut the trunk lid Rayne stood and straightened her clothes, by now the entire dormitory was awake and watching her curiously. "What are you doing? Don't you realise what time it is and you come barging in here making a load of noise and waking us all up!" Pansy spat angrily.

Rayne rolled her eyes and ignored the girl's complaints. Muttering a few words under her breath she waved a hand and watched as her trunk disappeared from view, sending her things on ahead they would only slow her down while on the run.

"What the fuck was that?" Pansy said, pulling herself from her bed and starring with a frown at the spot where Rayne's trunk had once stood. "What's going on, who are you?"

"Nobody you'd like to know," Rayne hissed with venom in her voice, "But you don't need to worry about that now, I won't be back."

"What do you mean, where are you going?" Pansy asked before a smirk crept to her lips, "Oh wait, I get it now. Things not going so hot with Draco? Not that I couldn't see that coming, I mean you're not really his type. He likes his bits of fun that's all you must be able to see that…"

Rayne put up a hand cutting Pansy off mid sentence. "I don't have time to listen to you drivel." She said irritably, pushing past the blonde girl and heading back off down the stairs.

"How dare you cut me off!" Pansy yelled, running barefooted down the cold stone steps to wheel around in front of Rayne and stopping her in her tracks. "How dare you, don't you know who I am?" She demanded.

Rayne groaned in exasperation, "Yes you're an irritating little girl who needs to get out of my way!" She spat through gritted teeth only to be met by the feel of Pansy's wand digging into her ribs, she hadn't even noticed her pick it up, way to let anger cloud your perception.

"Care to rephrase that?" Pansy asked, a knife-edge to her voice.

That was the final straw for Rayne; she saw red. "I don't have time to play silly games." She yelled, flinging a hand forwards and releasing her rage upon the unsuspecting Pansy.

The blonde girls pale eyes widened as she felt herself lifted from the ground to suddenly fall backwards down the stairs. She opened her mouth and let rip a blood curdling scream as she plummeted to the ground, crashing hard into the partially open door and landing with a painful thud against the common room floor. Pansy felt the air smacked out of her lungs and she lay gasping and shaking on the, thankfully carpeted, floor.

Rayne strolled down the remainder of the stairs having officially lost her rag. Pansy's screams must have awoken the entire house as students from varying years, all barefooted and tousle haired, poured into the common room curious to know what the commotion was about that had risen them all from their happy slumbers. Rayne stepped into the room, her eyes ablaze with the dark, angry fire that fuelled her power, causing those in the room to shudder and give her a wide berth. Who knew what she could be capable of with that wild psychotic look in her eyes.

Taking one last sneering look at Pansy, Rayne turned on her heel and swept out of the common room without so much as a backward glance. That was it, she could get away so long as no more interference or distractions came her way. She could leave, hide and survive to see the morning, all she had to do was get out of the damned school.

Draco stormed into the common room. He'd been waiting for Rayne to come back from her detention but she'd been gone for hours, far longer than she should have been. Rather than becoming concerned he had become sulky and put out, deciding to retire to bed rather than wait for her any longer. He had gone to bed irritable and had been woken by screaming coming from the common room, whoever it was would feel the full extent of his wrath that was for sure.

He entered to find Pansy struggling up from the floor, fighting violently to breathe and shaking beyond belief. The shattered fragments of her wand lay strewn on the floor beside her and a hysterical anger contorted her face. "What the hell happened here?" He demanded, rushing to kneel beside the blonde Slytherin girl.

"That…your…she," Pansy stuttered, still fighting to fill her lungs with air. Taking a painful deep breath she managed to burst out, "That psycho girlfriend of yours."

"What, Rayne?" Draco asked wondering when exactly the demon girl had become classed as girlfriend status. "What happened, where is she?"

"She's crazy," Pansy said, her words coming more easily as breathing became less of an effort. "But don't worry, she's gone now and she wont be back." She chuckled softly, sitting up and trying to cling lovingly to Draco.

"She's what?" He exclaimed, standing so suddenly that Pansy fell back, unceremoniously, against the floor. Turning quickly he hurried towards the door and flung it open. "Rayne!" He yelled down the corridor towards her slowly shrinking figure.

Rayne sighed and stopped in her tracks. "Draco, I have to go. I'm…sorry." She called back as the familiar voice called her name. She didn't turn to look at him, he was classed as a distraction and there was just no time to deal with that. As much as it pained her to think about, she'd have preferred to leave and not seen him again before she went.

Draco ran down the corridor, cutting across in front of Rayne as she tried again to leave. _Why do people keep doing that? _She thought biting her lip in frustration. "Draco please I can't stay here anymore." She explained softly, attempting to side step him and not have to meet his sliver-grey eyes.

He snarled angrily and roughly grabbed her by the shoulders, "Stop trying to run away, why are you going?" He demanded, his grip on her shoulders tightening and Rayne winced in pain as his fingers dug into the unhealed wounds on her back. "What's wrong? What…happened to you?" He asked, noticing for the first time the rings of dark bruises that encircled her throat.

Rayne swallowed hard and turned away from him, "I can't stay here Draco, it's not safe anymore." She said softly, "I've been banished from the Order, apparently I'm expendable to keep their secrets safe, and now every demon whose ever wanted a taste of glory will be winging their way here, all gunning for my blood."

"I don't understand." Draco said softly, loosening his grip so that it became a soft caress against her bruised neck and moving so that she would finally look him in the eye.

"You don't have to understand, just know that if I stay here I'll be killed. They've tried once and now they won't stop until it is done, I have to go and hope that they don't catch me."

"Then let me come with you." Draco said suddenly, as a wave of ideas engulfed him.

"What? Don't be ridiculous. Draco I don't have the time to argue with you, I've wasted far too much already." Rayne said becoming exasperated. Not that the idea of some company wasn't nice but it just wasn't practical, if he came then he would also be in danger.

"Then don't argue." He said straightening his robes and starting to lead Rayne down the corridor. "I'm coming with you." He said decisively. Going with her would be far more profitable than staying in school, the information that he could learn and the company wasn't bad either. Snape believed that there was something highly worth knowing about her and her kind and Draco would find out just what that was, away from the prying eyes of the school.

"Fine, just don't slow me down." Rayne replied as she started in her swift stride, footsteps ringing against the stones.

"So, where are we going?" Draco asked with a grin as he rushed to catch up with her.

"First, back home. I need to pay a few people a visit."


	16. Out of the Cauldron, Into the Fire

**A/n: A very, very long time in the updating and not a particularly long chapter I am afraid to say, but the story is still moving on and I am hoping to get it into the next gritty bit A.S.A.P, so keep your eyes open for more updates in the not too distant future and I hope to keep them coming far more regularly than this one.**

**Disclaimers and various other things are the same as all previous chapters!**

* * *

Out of the Cauldron, into the Fire

Their footsteps rang shrilly against the hard stone floors echoing through the narrow corridors and announcing the pairs presence. Rayne was taking no mind to sneak through the passageways, her blood still burned with a toxic mixture of rage and fear, nobody was about to prevent her from leaving Hogwarts when her very existence was hanging in the balance.

Draco followed a step or two behind the determined figure of Rayne, just about able to keep pace with her broad stride but all too quickly feeling the pull of fatigue telling him that he'd not be able to keep up with her like this all night.

"How exactly do you intend we get back 'home' as you so call it?" Draco intoned from behind Rayne, silently praying that walking would not be the answer.

On any other night Rayne may have strayed a glance back at her blonde companion, taken note of his delicately flushed pink cheeks and banked the knowledge of a new way in which Draco could be teased and tormented. That night however was different, her mind was worlds away from the dingy dungeon corridors and until he had spoken Rayne could have all but forgotten that Draco was even following her.

"Don't worry, it won't take long once we're out of the school grounds." She replied flatly, not once turning to glance back at him or allowing her step to falter.

"That's not what I asked." Draco hissed back, irritated that she continued to ignore him unless he probed her with questions.

Rayne sighed and rolled her crystal purple eyes. "Like apparition," She said her tone again blunt, "you know as well as anybody Draco that apparition does not work within the school grounds. Well the principle of how I 'apparate', as it were, is very much the same and so the charms prevent this also." This time, as Rayne paused in her words, she did slow her pace and turned back to face him continuing to walk though she could no longer see where she was headed. "Else I'd have been gone long before now." She finished softly, lingering a delicate look into his silver-grey eyes before turning back in a swirl of dark hair and resuming her quick pace.

They met not a soul on the long journey up from the dungeons, for which Draco was quietly grateful, Rayne however could feeling her fingers itching with the desire to meet an appropriate outlet for some of her rage. If only she'd not left Pansy behind back in the common room.

The eerie and deserted silence seemed to stretch up from the dank dungeons and out into the gleaming marble shine that was the entrance hall. The pair paused in the arched doorway, taking a moment to survey the vast splay of polished stone that stretched out before them.

"Looks deserted." Draco said softly, eager that they reach the large, heavy double doors and make it out into the relative freedom of the grounds.

Rayne too was keen to get away, after all it had been her plan to leave in the first place, but the abject lack of life in the castle was making her more than just a little suspicious. Yes the hour was late but there should have at least been the trace of a stray ghost here and there, no the quiet was all too discerning.

"Yes, but it shouldn't be." Rayne replied absently to Draco's comment, her pale brow furrowed in concern. She couldn't help but think that something was very wrong with the scene before them, but they couldn't stay standing in the doorway either. Rayne sighed and suddenly stepped out onto the polished stone floor signalling for Draco to follow her, the longer she lingered the greater the danger grew it was better to face it now that to wait for it to sneak up behind them.

"Come on, lets just get out of here." She hissed to Draco behind her as they began to hurry across the floor, "the sooner I see the back of this place is the sooner I can breath more easily."

Draco nodded and obediently followed, more than just a little keen to leave the school behind himself. Indeed being made a prefect that year had certainly been a novelty but there was no way of denying that deep down he was truly sick of the place. Draco craved excitement and action the kind of which would never be found in a school like Hogwarts, especially not with people like Potter and his friends lurking around, no perhaps going with Rayne would provide him with all of the excitement he so desired.

They flew across the highly polished floor with surprising ease and reached the doors, much to Rayne's surprise, without any hindrance.

Perhaps it was the threat that was looming over her head that caused her to be paranoid but Rayne could have sworn that someone, or something was waiting for them, lurking in the deathly silence. Yet the entrance hall remained still and quiet, the sound of their hurried footsteps fading into the background as they stood face to face with the large and heavy wooden doors. Rayne paused for yet another brief moment, casting a wary eye behind her simply unable to shake the feeling that they were being watched and followed.

"What are we waiting for?" Draco questioned impatiently, his arms poised to shove open the doors.

Rayne shook her head and turned back to her blonde companion, "nothing." She said determinedly gesturing for Draco to go ahead and throw open the doors and reveal the path to their escape.

Stepping out into the cold night air was like a wash of relief and reality as it hit Rayne's tension wracked body. She hissed in a breath through her teeth as the cold winters night bit delightfully painfully against her back where Snape's vile potion had slowed the healing in her wounds, but soon the cold grew soothing against the angry heat as her body grew accustomed to the biting temperature. She stood still for a few moments as the doors slowly crept shut behind her cutting off the main source of light to the grounds and Rayne inhaled great lungful's of the cold night air, she could feel herself become more invigorated, the aches and pains that still niggled at her seemed to lessen to all but nothing and she began to feel more alive.

Draco had moved a few steps on down the stone path before he realised that Rayne's footsteps were no longer mirroring his own. Turning swiftly Draco looked back to see where she was and, squinting into the dim light, saw her silhouetted against the darkness her pale flesh luminescent under the cold winters moonlight, her eyes were closed and she looked to be in some kind of trance.

He began to edge back towards her, a slight note of irritation in his cold grey eyes. "Rayne what are you doing?" He called out to her, stopping a meter or so away with the hope that it would encourage her to move again, and to think she was the one who was earlier insisting that they get away from Hogwarts so fast, just outside of the castle was not quite what he'd had in mind.

Rayne grimaced as Draco's voice dragged her back to earth. She shook her head, appreciating the new ease with which she could move, and opened her eyes to gaze through the darkness at Draco. Her amethyst orbs gleamed wildly in the moonlight as she stared at him, shining with every ounce of her newfound confidence coupled with the ever burning flames of rage in her blood and the still undeniable glint of fear that was driving her onwards. A soft shake of her head sent her long black hair swirling about her shoulders as she began to step slowly along the path towards Draco.

Drawing level with him Rayne leaned in close to his body and said to him, "Nothing." Before she gracefully strode away down the long path towards the schools tall iron gates.

Her voice was like black silk being dragged across his skin and the way her eyes gleamed made Draco shiver, that was more like the Rayne he had grown used to. Quickly turning to follow her rapid steps down the path Draco moved with a renewed sense of enthusiasm at Rayne's reclaimed spirits, his trip with her now surely did promise all that he had been anticipating.

Rayne had come to a halt in front of the gates and was almost scowling at the large heavy chain and lock that held them securely in place. They were enchanted naturally and by the time Draco reached her side she had already attempted a number of charms and hexes in a vain hope of cracking the lock.

"Have you tried the unlocking charm?" Draco asked as he drew level with her.

"Please Draco, they'd not be stupid enough to lock the school gates only to have them open so easily." Rayne replied a little exasperatedly. In truth it had been the first charm she had tried and then kicked herself for being so simple minded to think it would be that easy. "I should have known that they wouldn't just be left open, don't know what I was thinking."

"It was just a suggestion." Draco replied bitterly, he hated how she put him down like that but hated even more to admit that she was right. Not out loud of course, no Draco was far too proud to do that but it still pained him to admit it if only to himself.

"No I think the only way we're getting out of here is either over or under." Rayne said looking first up to viciously spiked tops of the gates, and then down to the barely inch gap where the iron ended and the hard ground began. "Pity you didn't bring your broom." She said turning to him and grinning, might as well make light of what seemed to be an increasingly desperate situation.

"Well you didn't exactly leave me much time to pack." Draco sneered sarcastically before drawing his wand out of his pocket. "Lucky for you I don't go anywhere without this." He added silkily before muttering a summoning charm under his breath, calling for a broom from the store Madam Hooch kept, best not to call his own it would draw far too much attention whizzing through the castle with no apparent rider.

After a moment or two from behind them a faint whistling sound could be heard as the broom picked up speed and hurtled towards the pair of them. Nonchalantly Draco reached out a hand and plucked the broom out of the air, "Madame," He said dramatically with a mock bow as he offered the broom to Rayne.

Rayne pouted at Draco's exaggerated, lordly tone but her sulky expression soon melted into a frown as she looked over the rather tatty and weather beaten broom that Draco proffered to her. "What exactly do you intend **I** do with that?" She asked in all seriousness as she looked on in horror at the broom in Draco's hands.

Draco too frowned, "What do you mean? It was your idea to fly over the gates."

"Yes, but you're the wizard flying is more your department." She replied with a slight quiver in her voice as she began to wonder whether such a flimsy looking piece of wood would actually support both of their weights. "The only demons that can fly are the ones born with wings." She said firmly.

"Then what exactly did you expect us to do with a broom? Sweep that path?" Draco responded with growing irritation in his voice.

"No," Rayne replied with a scowl, "I was thinking more that you would do the flying and I would just tag along."

"Oh I see," Draco said with a smirk, dropping the broom so that it swung casually from his left hand. "So you expect me to be your chauffeur now? And to think you were going to leave without me." He began to pace in a slow circle around Rayne, his voice singing with all of the smugness that was glowing on his face. "How would you have coped?"

Rayne didn't like his tone, nor the smug grin that was painted on his lips. She narrowed her eyes and responded in a blunt and dark tone, "I'd have found a way. There are other 'things' I could have done if you were not also tagging along."

"Oh really?" Draco asked sceptically, arching his thin pale eyebrows and pausing in his steps.

"Draco just stop it, we've wasted too much time I just want out of this place." Rayne eventually burst out growing exasperated with the banter which was getting them nowhere.

"We?" Draco said in an astonished voice, it seemed to him that since he had decided to join her it had been Rayne who had been holding them up, for instance by hanging around in the dark.

He was about to open his mouth and continue with the rant he could feel building up inside on him when Rayne held up a pale, slender hand and cut him off before he could begin. "Don't start Draco lets just go, please."

"Fine." He said with a sigh, moving to straddle the broom and wait for Rayne to join him. "Jump on then if you're in such a hurry."

Rayne swallowed hard and climbed awkwardly onto the broom behind Draco, it wasn't really big enough for the both of them to ride at once and, gripping Draco tightly around the waist, Rayne prayed that the bundle of wood and twigs wouldn't give out on them as they were above the gates leaving them to plunge to a painful and bloody death.

Draco could sense her apprehension and sniggered silently to himself. "Hope this broom will survive the both of us being on it." He said voicing aloud Rayne's silent fears and causing her to tense even more.

She gripped him all the tighter, her fingers threatening to mar his perfect porcelain flesh with garish purple bruises, and hissed through her teeth "Let's just go." Before burying her face into his shoulder as she felt them begin to rise up off of the ground.

* * *

A dark figure stood at one of the tall windows which lined the long stretch of castle wall, outlined by the warm and inviting glow of the lights within causing his face to be cast in shadow. Tension, though unreadable in his shadowed features, crackled through the air as he carefully studied the scene outside of the window with increasing anger. His evening had now just grown considerably worse, not only had his seemingly perfect plans been spoiled by some, albeit unforeseen, interference, but now the subject of his interest was running away and dragging with her his favourite student to boot.

With a shake of his head Snape stepped away from the window, the scowl now clearly readable on his face, and with a swirl of black robes he turned to stalk back down to his office in the dungeons. _That damned insolent woman, if only she'd done as I'd asked, _he raged in his head but then cut his own thoughts short with an exasperated sigh, If onlys would not get him anywhere, Rayne was gone and there was going to be no **easy **way to retrieve the information that he and Lucius sought from her.

Still though, Draco was with her. That could just prove to be one highlighting feature of it all, he would be considerably easier to find than she would be alone, especially for Lucius. "I shall have to contact his father, there may just be a chance." Snape muttered with a vague note of increased confidence, they would have their information one way or another, but then there was just one more thing that continued to trouble him that was perhaps even more pressing even than finding the wayward pair.

The exact reason why Rayne had so suddenly decided to flee was by no means entirely clear, but Snape had his suspicions. The unprompted attack earlier than night was curious enough but he had to wonder whether that alone was enough to send her running. A small spark of concern glowed in his mind with the suspicion that she had caught on to what he and Lucius had been planning and that she was running to protect what she knew. But this theory too posed some problems, firstly Rayne being violently attacked mid-detention, by one of her own kind no less, was terrible in itself but to Snape's logical and calculating mind not reason enough to lead her to flee for why did she not simply turn to the Professors for help. Hogwarts would surely have magic enough to hold back whatever threat was endangering her. No she must have felt that there was a greater reason to leave the castle, a reason not to trust them to protect her because there were those with ulterior motives.

But then how did she find out? Unfortunately the only answer to which Snape could fathom was that Draco had been displaying his loyalties in a way Snape never would have expected.

Opening the door to his office Snape headed swiftly over to the large grate set into the damp stone wall where the slowly dying embers of a never roaring fire still glowed, Lucius needed to hear his concerns. A swift flick of his wand boosted the flames and Snape reached for a small pinch of the glittering floo powder that sat in a dish on the mantelpiece. Tossing it into the flames so that they began to roar a sparkling emerald green Snape sighed and dropped to his knees on the dusty hearth. It was such an undignified way to communicate, let alone travel but it was certainly the quickest and most convenient for that moment besides he could almost guarantee that Lucius Malfoy would be waiting, however impatiently, beside his study fire waiting to hear news of Severus's progress as things with Rayne had not gone entirely to plan.

Trying in vain to find a comfortable position in which to kneel before the fire on the dusty, hard stone hearth, Snape plunged his head into the coolly flickering flames and commanded clearly the name and address of Lucius Malfoy whom he so urgently needed to speak to. The rushing of the flames began as various scenes blurred before his eyes before suddenly the fireplace seemed to come to a rest before the figure of Lucius sitting casually in his grand armchair naturally expecting the arrival of Snape.

"Severus." Came a familiar icy voice, muffled only slightly by the crackling of the flames surrounding Snape's ears.

"Lucius." Came his simple reply quickly being done with the short formalities of greeting.

"I had been wondering when you would rear your head." Lucius continued with not a hint of irony breaking his smooth and chilling tone. "I trust your evening has proven to be more successful since I left you earlier."

"I wouldn't be too overly confident in that respect Lucius." Snape replied darkly, "There have certainly been some more interesting developments, none of which unfortunately involved gaining any of the information we were looking for."

"What do you mean Severus? Did the girl die or something?" Lucius asked, a vague look of concern beginning to grow on his aristocratic features.

"Not die, no. She fled." Snape said simply.

"She ran away?!" Lucius exclaimed, rising from his chair and beginning to pace the room. "Now how on earth do you propose we find her? She could be anywhere Severus." He ranted his usual cool and suave exterior beginning to break down.

"Calm yourself Lucius. That may prove to be easier than you would imagine, you see not only has she left but she managed to tempt away none other than your son."

"Draco has gone with her?" Lucius stopped pacing, a scowl curling at his lips as he looked directly down into Snapes face with arched eyebrows.

"It appears so yes," Snape said smoothly, "What concerns me more however is why they chose to leave in the first place. I fear that she may have discovered our plans but one mean or another and that she will no longer be so easy to extract the information from. There is also little more that I can do from here so I am afraid that it may be up to you to find them Lucius."

Lucius sighed and sank back down into his chair, "Don't worry Severus I can find Draco I have no doubts about that we can just hope that she is still with him when I do find him, for both of their sakes. We'll have our information by any means necessary." Lucius finished a harsh and angry spark shining in his cold eyes, "I shall keep you informed of my progress Severus." He said in dismissal.

"Very well Lucius, I shall bid you goodnight." Snape said in farewell before pulling his head back out of the fire and watching the flames shrink back to glow orange and warm against the cold of the dungeon. If the look in Lucius's eye was anything to go by Snape would not like to be in either Rayne or Draco's shoes when he caught up with them, the chance to have it the easy way was gone now it was the hard way or nothing.

* * *

**To come: Lucius is on the hunt and Rayne takes Draco to demon land will he fit in or find himself way out of his depth? **


	17. Into the Void

**A/N: Far too long in coming and what was orignally going to be one chapter will now be two. I have neglected this for too long and so wanted to put at least something up, feels again like they are getting nowhere fast but it is coming along and there will be another update sooner than this one came, real life has gotten the better of me this year and I just haven't had the chance to look at this. But I'm not giving up and it will be completed one day!**

* * *

Into the Void

They hit the ground hard. The tired and weathered old broom protesting mightily against the weight it was being forced to carry. Rayne looked up shakily at the gates they had just sailed over and closed her crystal purple eyes in silent relief that the broom had held out just long enough to send them safely over the top.

"There, see. No problem at all." Draco said in an irritably chirpy tone of voice and Rayne could just picture the self-satisfied smirk that would be painted onto his angular face.

"Yeah." Rayne muttered bitingly as she stood to climb off of the broom, grasping Draco's shoulder rather more roughly than was needed so that her nails dug into his flesh even through his layers of clothing. "Lucky the gates aren't any bigger."

"Oh don't whine, we're on the other side aren't we?" Draco asked rhetorically as she stepped off of the broom and tossed it unceremoniously into the long grass that lined the edges of the path. No one would miss it.

"Yes, okay you're right." Rayne gave in with a sigh, the last thing she wanted was him gloating all the way and concluding that if he really was going to come with her it would probably be best to stop sniping at him. No need to make the trip even more unpleasant than it needed to be. "But we're still not away yet."

Rayne turned to face Draco directly, her own face a concerned mask of seriousness. "Are you certain that you still want to come with me Draco? I mean its not exactly going to be much fun and…"

Draco held up a hand to silence Rayne and shook his head. "Don't Rayne. Just don't even try to convince me to change my mind, it won't work."

"But…"

"No, I've decided and that is that. Besides wouldn't you much rather have my delightful company than go it all alone?" Draco smirked as he moved beside Rayne and slinked an arm casually around her shoulders.

Sighing Rayne forced a smile to her lips and nodded. "I suppose." She said, her words sounding rather more reluctant than she was actually feeling inside. In truth the thought of making the trip alone was a daunting one and having Draco along would probably ease her nerves somewhat.

"So, what happens now?" Draco asked stirring Rayne who had leant to rest her head against his shoulder, delighting in the comforting warmth of his body despite her usual craving for the cold.

"Hmm," Rayne frowned, "We need to be a little further away from the school before we can go, I don't want anyone to notice us." She said not moving from where she had settled against him.

"I had been wondering Rayne, why exactly are you going back there? I mean if they are looking for you won't you just be walking straight into their hands?" Draco asked the question that had been bothering him for some time now, a frown wrinkling his marble brow as he did so.

"No, I'm going back to try and confuse them. The bounty hunters." Rayne said as she lifted her head and pulled up her sleeve to reveal the mark that scarred her left forearm. "This is their way of tracking me, but it's slow to react if I move around a lot. Right now they all know where I've been so I'm hoping that going back will confuse them and that they'll waste a lot of time looking for me down there. I need some time to think of something that might help me get out of this."

Draco nodded slowly, his silver grey eyes drawn to the mark on her arm and how different it now appeared to when he had first met her on the train to Hogwarts. He couldn't help but think of the comparison between it and the dark mark sported by the Deatheaters, to have the mark was to sentence yourself for life there were very few who escaped from its bond. And he looked then at the trouble that Rayne was in, the so-called sign of allegiance the very thing working to help destroy her. Was the power and glory really worth the danger?

"Right, I see." He said slowly, eyes still transfixed onto her arm before he blinked hard and shook his head, shaking away the trance like haze that had begun to creep through his vision. "Do you have any idea at all? Of how to stop them from finding you I mean." He asked the frown still crinkling his forehead.

Rayne shook her head, it was the truth she had absolutely no clue as to how she might free herself from the threat of her kin, after all they had more magic put together than she could ever dream of. "None whatsoever. But so long as I keep moving I'll stay alive." She said with a shrug before grabbing Draco's arm and tugging him along the path. "Which incidentally is what we should really be doing now. Come on I can't wait to see the back of this place."

* * *

Lucius marched through the long, wooden panelled corridors of the Malfoy Manor. His cold grey eyes set in a hard stare on the door at the end of the passage, his aimed destination. He would be able to find the two of them, there was no question about that. Draco was afterall still an underage wizard and if Lucius could tap into the trace that he had upon him, well finding _her _would be all too easy. He had full confidence that wherever Draco as then Rayne would naturally be there in tow, or perhaps more appropriately dragging Lucius's son in tow behind her, but whichever way once he had her in his grasp there would be no more soft stepping around the subject. She would tell him what he wanted to know, one way or another.

Reaching the door Lucius grabbed his wand from inside of his robes and tapped at the lock. A few loud clicks could be heard from within the thick wood and door eventually sprang open. Pushing it back with a little effort the opening revealed a darkened passageway and a narrow set of stone stairs leading down beneath the house. Lighting the tip of his wand Lucius held it loftily above his head and he started off gliding gracefully down into the darkness, robes billowing behind him as he walked.

At the base of the stairs the floor stretched out into a large and sinister stone room, upon entering which the first word that would spring to mind was 'dungeon'.

As Lucius stepped into the room flames ignited in the sparse few lanterns that lined the dank walls. The room was cast with a dirty orange glow, the fiery lights painting twisted shadows across the walls as Lucius paced the floor towards a large table set against the far wall. A number of cells had been constructed along one of the sides, each equip with its own old and tarnished set of chains and shackled, the iron locks on each door rusted and worn but still in fairly serviceable order. It had been a while since this place was used for its original intentions.

The table was stacked with various items all clearly for some magical purpose or another and more than a few appeared considerably dark and sinister in nature. Placing down his wand Lucius deftly picked up a number of instruments and arranged them directly in front of him. The plan was simple, find them and bring them both straight back to the Manor. Draco would be no trouble, after all that place was still his home and Lucius as his father still had a certain amount of power over his son, it was just the girl he may have some trouble dealing with. Still Lucius with all of his power and experience as a wizard, and as a Deatheater at that, was sure that he would have an advantage over a young and inexperienced demon, high blooded or not.

Picking up his wand again in his pale and slender fingers Lucius looked earnestly into the instrument, which looked not dissimilar to a pensive, that was set before him. He waved the wand in a series of complicated patterns and muttered inaudibly below his breath until the wand tip began to glow a ghostly white and there before him he could see Draco.

An image of Draco at least, the same way a memory would appear inside a pensive the watery picture show Lucius clearly the two of them, barely a 10 minute walk away from the school. A sinister smirk came to Lucius's lips and an evil chuckle escaped them, this would be all too easy.

* * *

The cobblestone path between Hogwarts and Hogsmeade was quickly eaten away by the pairs hasty footsteps. Robes billowed in the cold night air and Rayne's long, raven hair whipped about her shoulders, her amethyst eyes set firmly on the path ahead. Draco managed just to keep in step with her as they walked for 10 silent minutes until the picturesque village loomed mere moments away. It was then that Rayne suddenly veered off of the path, grabbing Draco by the arm and leading him into a small thicket of trees.

"Here should be okay. I don't really want anyone to notice us go." She muttered, stopping in her tracks just as the path disappeared from view. Keeping Dracos arm firmly in her grasp, she turned towards him and locked her gaze with his own. "You sure you're ready for this?" She asked him one final time, needing to be more than certain that this was a good idea because once they entered the demon realm there would be no room for things to go wrong. Rayne had to trust that Draco would not hinder things in any way, both of their lives could depend on it.

"Rayne will you stop asking me that!" Draco snapped, flinching slightly as at his words Rayne tightened her grip painfully on his arm. "How many times doe I have to say yes, and that nothing you can say will change my mind….That hurts!" Draco burst out finally as he snatched his arm roughly away from her.

Hastily Rayne let him go she'd not realised quite how hard she had been gripping his arm, it was the deep rooted fear that was beginning to course through her body as she drew closer to returning to the place she had once called home that was causing her to lose her grip on herself a little.

"Sorry." She muttered meekly, "But I really just need to be sure that you won't back out on me." She paused and looked hard into his cold eyes, her own beginning to sparkle with the threat of tears. "I really can't afford for anything to go wrong." She finished harshly forcing back the emotion that threatened to overcome her.

Draco softened his gaze, there was something alien in her eyes that unnerved him. He'd never seen fear like that in her before. "It won't I promise it won't." He said before swallowing hard and forcing out his next set of words. "I'll do whatever you say."

Hearing those words did serve to lighten the leaden feeling that had begun to settle in the pit of her stomach. It had been hard for Draco to say and he was never one to take orders from anybody, but the conviction in his tone was enough to convince her.

"Okay, lets get this over with." Rayne said with a sigh, trying her hardest to relax. Travelling there would be hard enough with nerves getting the better of her and throwing them dangerously off course. "Give me your hand." She instructed reaching out for it with her own pale, slender fingers. "You've apparated side-along before right?" She asked, waiting only for Dracos nod in confirmation before continuing. "Good, well its pretty much the same principal. Just keep a tight hold and I won't lose you along the way."

Stretching out his arm Draco took her hand, entwining his fingers around hers and gripping firmly. "Okay, lets go."

Rayne nodded, squeezing his hand quickly before screwing her eyes shut tight and picturing the place she wanted to head for. She tapped into her power and felt it begin to rise through her body before she stepped forwards leading Draco into nothingness.

* * *

Lucius had everything ready, he knew just where they were and the cell was there waiting for Rayne when he brought them back. He'd tampered with the Manors own protective magic so that he could apparate straight back into the basement dungeon, the sooner he could arrive and contain Rayne the easier things would be.

Opening the cell door, not wanting a wasted second, and slipping the keys into his pocket Lucius finally headed back to the table. Grasping his wand tightly he peered into the pensive like object one last time and watched as the two of them slipped off of the main path and into a small cluster of trees.

'Perfect.' He thought wickedly to himself, a sinister smirk curling his pale lips as he turned on the spot and, with a crack, disappeared from view.

The sound of wind rushed through his ears and the sensation of being forced through a narrow tube slipped over his body before Lucius appeared expertly on the grass at the centre of the cluster of trees. Flicking his eyes up he looked ahead just in tome to watch as Rayne and Draco disappeared from sight.

* * *

**A/N: Next chapter, the demon realm and just how will Draco deal with it...**


	18. From Darkness to Darker

**A/N: Took a little longer than I'd planned but have been rather busy lately. I've recently had a baby so more chapters are coming in between feeding and nappy changing times.**

* * *

From Dark to Darker

Draco felt Rayne pull him with her into the darkness. He felt her magic trickle a little unpleasantly over his skin, causing every inch of him to tingle with the unfamiliar power, then his feet left the firm touch of solid ground behind as the darkness began to flood his senses.

It was an unusual sensation and Draco found it more than just a little unnerving. Apparating he'd done before but this was nothing like that. When you apparated you could feel your body move, like it was being squeezed through some invisible tube as you hurtled towards your chosen destination, this feeling was different entirely. He felt like a disembodied thought floating somewhere in the great black void that they had stepped into, only vaguely aware of the grip that Rayne still had upon his hand as she guided him somehow through the darkness. The thought of losing her there was frankly terrifying and Draco could just imagine being a lost through until the darkness would finally drive him mad. Trying hard to shove this thought from his mind he felt his body somewhere swallow hard and concluded that all he could do was to pray for the experience to soon be over.

The journey was taking far too long for his liking, apparating was far quicker but then he really had no idea just how far they were having to travel. When the wizarding world had banished the demons just how far away exactly did they have to go to settle? Draco couldn't honestly think of any conceivable place where they could have gone to be away from wizards, not in their mass numbers unless…

The darkness around the pair began to flicker and distort as the world slowly came back into focus. The body that was supposed to hold his mind was returning and Draco was starting to feel normal again. He could feel the rough and slightly painful grip that Rayne had kept on his hand again as a purely physical sensation and he even stumbled a little on shaky legs as she wrenched him fully out of the darkness.

"We're here."

* * *

Lucius stood for a moment in the dark, and now completely empty, clearing. Blinking his cold grey eyes into the darkness, had he really just seen what he thought he had?

He cast his eyes rapidly to either side, white blonde hair whipping through the darkness as he turned his head. They had to be there somewhere, in the bushes that was it he'd seen them slip into the dark bushes. Lucius hurried forwards to the spot where he had seen Draco and Rayne, a small cluster of shrubs blocked any easy path through the trees, that had to be where they were hiding.

Frantically Lucius wrenched apart the branches, an almost desperate need threatening to consume him having already taken over his usual calm and cold demeanour. They were not there…nothing was there.

"Damn that wretched girl." He shouted angrily, straightening up again and flinging himself back into the clearing. He wrenched his wand from the inside of his robes and held it gripped so tight that his knuckles paled even against his already pale flesh.

"Her blood will be mine when I find them. I will get what I want." He hissed viciously into the cold air before turning on the spot and disappearing from the clearing with a aloud crack.

* * *

Blinking his eyes against the harshness of being able to see again Draco took a few deep breaths as he steadied himself, the feeling of normality flooding back quickly enough to unsettle him.

"You okay?" Rayne asked, the concern obvious in her voice. "I'm sorry it took so long but I wanted to create a bit of a trail, distract anyone if they happened to be following us." She explained gently dropping the grip she had on his hand.

"I'm fine." Draco said, his tone of voice almost even convincing himself. "It's just a strange sensation almost like I wasn't really me anymore. The darkness just seemed to swallow everything."

Rayne cringed slightly as Draco described how the trip had made him feel, this really wasn't going to be easy just getting there had shaken him and until they left it would probably only get worse. "I'm sorry it does take some getting used to. But you're sure you're okay though?" She asked anxiously. "I need you to be yourself again before we go any further just in case things do go wrong. You've got your wand right?"

"Always." Draco replied patting his pocket where he knew his wand was laying passively and within easy reach should anything indeed go wrong. Draco thought Rayne was simply being overly concerned, just how bad could things really get?

* * *

Lucius apparated back into the basement dungeon of the Malfoy Manor, his face was a stony mask, lips pursed and eyes that burned with silent fury. That girl was proving to be far more hassle than he had been expecting, what they got from her had better be more than worth all the trouble.

Standing back in front of the large table near the back of the room Lucius slammed the instruments around on its gleaming wooden surface as he performed, once again, the spell that would tap into Draco's trace. As an image slowly began to materialise in the pensive like basin frown furrows wrinkled Lucius's pale brow. Something was wrong.

An image was there , he could see Draco but it was fuzzy and not even a glimmer of his surroundings could be made out. It looked almost as if Draco was suspended in a void of pure blackness, marred every few seconds by a garish flashing streak of blood red. What had that girl done to him? Or more importantly where had she led him to?

Grabbing his wand Lucius tried meticulously to clear the image hoping that it would reveal something more to him than the image of his son lost in the darkness. But no matter how powerful a brand of magic he tried nothing would shift it, if anything Lucius could have sworn that the darkness became ever more stubborn, thickening as if it meant to swallow Draco whole.

Although he would never admit to such a feeling, nor would Lucius ever led it be read in his face, a black pit of fear had settled into his stomach. What would happen to Draco? His son and heir, pride and joy was lost with a demonic creature by his side and all Lucius could do about it was sit and wait.

* * *

"Good make sure you can get to it quick." Rayne said as she breezed across the darkened room and pulled open the door a crack.

It was only then that Draco really looked around and began to take in their new surroundings. The room was obscenely dark, walls, floor and ceiling all coloured black. One dim light glowed as it floated above the centre of the room but no matter how hard it seemed to try the room simply swallowed much of it's light making the dim glow dull and sickly.

As Rayne cracked open the door very little more light leeched into the darkness. The occasional streaking flash of blood red was cast across the floor and the low rumble of some loud music in the distance reverberated beneath Draco's feet. "Rayne where exactly are we?" He asked moving across the room to join her at the door.

"A club." Rayne muttered softly peering through the door, "One of the most popular demon haunts. Perfect place to get lost." Rayne smirked at Draco as she spoke. It was strange but as being back in her own realm again began to flood her senses Rayne was beginning to feel much more like her old self again. It was amazing quite how big an effect being in the wizarding world had had on her even in such short a time. But now the sights, sounds and even smells of the demonic realm were restoring her to her former self.

Gazing out across the hallway Rayne's eyes were trained on the thick and heavy doors that marked the way inside the busy club. She knew that it would be packed wall to wall with demons of every imaginable and varying species but right now the black corridor was empty. The door remained closed and the sounds of the music and life inside of the club remained muffled.

"Coast is clear, come on." She said casting a hasty glance back at Draco, "Quick so we can blend in with the crowd, we get spotted out here and we're both as good as dead." She grabbed Draco by the hand without waiting for him to reply and dragged him out into the hallway.

Gliding swiftly across the floor, her footsteps ringing with her haste to reach the door, Rayne dragged Draco rag doll like in tow behind her. Within seconds they had reached the entrance. She paused for a mere second to cast her purple gaze up and down the hallway before shoving open the heavy door and slipping into the thick crowd that lay behind it.

Draco followed quickly, stunned by the mass crowd that easily swallowed the two of them finding someone amongst all of those demons would be like looking for a needle in a haystack and Draco could finally see some sense in Rayne's plan.

Even though she'd explained to him that this was a so called demon hot spot never in a million years had he pictured there being quite so many of them crammed into that one small space. The atmosphere within the club was a volatile mix of power, passion and aggression. It rippled across Draco's skin causing him to shudder at the sensation, it was not only unpleasant but it settled a heavy feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach. It was funny how all of Rayne's concerns then no longer seemed quite so petty as Draco felt his flesh crawl every time one of the demons cast their gaze upon him, he wondered exactly what they were thinking as more than once he caught a look of hunger in their eyes.

He felt Rayne tug his hand drawing his attention back to her as she looked concernedly into his eyes. "Come on Draco stick with me, and don't stand still too long they can tell you're not meant to be here."

Her words added to the dread that was slowly making him feel sick but they at least explained the looks that were being cast in his direction. Still didn't make him feel any better though. "What do you mean they can tell?" He asked knowing as soon as the words had passed his lips that he didn't want to hear the answer.

"They can sense magic, power. Yours is different from ours and if you stay in one place too long you'll start to stick out like a sore thumb." Rayne explained as she cast a vaguely worried glance at the crowd around them. "Between that and them tracing me we might as well be wearing flashing beacons on our heads." With those final words Rayne turned and pulled Draco further away from the door and deeper into the choking crowd.

"Then Rayne explain to me again why we're here if it's such a risk." Draco demanded in hissed tones.

"I told you I want a few people to catch a glimpse of me here, or at least think that they did. And if I lose myself in this crowd then hopefully it'll waste some time for those that are already following me." She said without a glance back at him continuing to weave her way through the mass of demons with much greater ease than Draco was having in following her.

Every now and then Rayne would cast her amethyst eyes upwards to catch the gaze of another demon, she'd smile coyly before swiftly turning away and being swallowed again by the crowd. _Let them wonder, _had she really been there or not? With any luck her idea would work and buy her some time to think of a way to stop those after her head once and for all. All they needed to do now was escape from that place without someone on their tails and all would be well, for a while at least.

Rayne knew just where she was headed even though her meandering path through the crowd seemed little more than random to Draco. There was a door at the far en of the room that led out into a barely used corridor, the perfect place for them to travel back from . No matter how much Rayne was loathe to leave she knew that it would be suicide if they'd stay for too long. The wizarding world was really the safest place for her, or so she thought.

As they neared the door Rayne slowed her pace and passed a glance back to Draco, "Turned out to be pretty uneventful." She smiled, "Once we're out there we'll leave this place, I can tell you'd rather not be here any longer."

Draco had to agree but he was surprised that Rayne made their trip so short. "You're done already?" He asked.

"Yes, can't stay for too long without it becoming too much of a risk to be here. You know what they say…too much of a good thing." She said looking towards the looming door. "And seeing as how so far everything has gone to plan I'd rather not risk it. I know it may have seemed pointless to you but I think it will have brought me some more time."

Rayne reached out for the handle and shoved open the door believing fully that they were away Scott free. Little did she realise the commotion she had stirred with one of the demons as he caught all too good a glimpse of her. He that was now following the two of them out into the corridor, Caleb really couldn't believe his own luck.

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**A/N: Ending on a cliff hanger...look out for the next chapter to come soon...hopefully!**


	19. Don't Fear the Demon

**A/N: Finally a new chapter of this story. I've been offline for a long time and during that time I have written all of the final chapters for this story, so if you've been following it, or want to read it all I will be uploading all of them in the next few days. So keep an eye out for them all!**

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Don't fear the Demon

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the notorious Rayne." Caleb drawled loudly as he sauntered down the corridor towards the pair of them. "The so called fugitive at large, back here in the icy flesh. How convenient"

At the sound of the all too familiar voice from behind them Rayne stopped suddenly in her tracks, _damn. _They were barely inches from the door, but a whisper away from freedom once again and they had been seen. Perhaps she had been far too foolish to consider returning but too late to change things now. No time to run, nowhere to hide and with someone like Caleb at her back Rayne knew there was only one choice left, only one way that her and Draco would be getting out of there alive.

She turned to fix Caleb with a icy glare, cursing him silently for ruining things as he was so very good at doing. Funny how his attitude was not so very different from the pale haired wizard that currently stood by her side and yet it grated harshly on Rayne's nerves as she watched him close the stretch of the corridor between them. Perhaps it was knowing the fact that he was all too keen to kill her, to sell her out for the bounty on her head when they had once been something close to friends. People like him, demon or not, were not to be trusted which begged for questions about Draco to be answered. That point however was not the time to do so.

"I should have known you'd be the first to come after the bounty on my head Caleb." Rayne said with a dismissive shake of her head. "Greed sadly is not your most attractive feature."

Caleb smiled, but it was a painfully obnoxious expression that Rayne couldn't help and picture forever wiping it off of his face. For that moment she bit her lip and restrained herself, violence would inevitably ensue this night, but all things in time.

"Rayne, now what sort of thing is that to say about your old friend." Caleb replied, still smiling and moving to stand uncomfortably close to the two of them. "You know me, I'd do anything for the greater good of our kind. It did disappoint me though…" He said raising and hand and beginning to idly play with strands of Rayne's jet black hair, "To hear of how you'd betrayed us. I tell you I never saw that coming, not from you."

Roughly Rayne reached up and brushed his hand away from her, wincing slightly as he came away tearing several strands of hair from her scalp. "That's your problem Caleb, you don't _see _a lot of things." She spat viciously, her face mere inches from his. "Like how you've now gone and bitten off far more than you can chew."

During the demon pairs heated exchange Draco stood close by, watching on, almost entirely forgotten. A small part of him felt bitter and resentful for being ignored, this would never have happened back in the wizarding world, but his better judgement made him stay still and quiet beside them knowing deep down that if things came to blows he would probably be more than out of his depth.

"Bitten off more than I can chew? Please Rayne do tell me…" Caleb said, harsh laughed cutting through his voice. He paused to laugh harder before making a show of composing himself and continuing, "How exactly did you come to that conclusion? You're wanted dead, I've found you…sounds like the perfect set up to me. Why not just give up and I'll make it easy for you." He coaxed, trailing long skeletal fingers across her cheek as if he were trying to entice her to bed not to her death.

Baring her teeth Rayne once again dragged Caleb's hand away from her face, tightening her grip about him and squeezing until bones threatened to crunch. "You and I both know that you're not demon enough to kill me." She hissed, suddenly shoving him forcefully away from her.

Caleb stumbled backwards, but did not fall as Rayne had hoped he would. Quickly he straightened himself, smoothing his clothes before shaking his head and stretching his arms out wide. "Fine, if this is the way you want to do things that suits me." He spat, glaring hard at her across the corridor. "Its been a while since I last killed something and I'm just itching for some bloodshed."

The promise of violence however was the last straw for Draco. Don't get him wrong, under the right circumstances he was not one to shy away from a fight, if he could win it, however down there in the demon realm with a vast room full of swarms and swarms of demons just waiting to descend upon them, he was not in favour of being caught in a riot where the odds were so heavily stacked against him. Shaking his head he roughly grabbed a hold of Rayne's arm to ensure getting her attention. "You have got to be joking. We don't have time for this lets just go." He hissed in a low voice, tugging hopefully on her arm.

Rayne allowed herself to turn and glance beside her at Draco, shocked for a second by the sound of his voice. He'd been so well behaved and quiet as she and Caleb 'spoke' it was almost as if he wasn't there at all. She shook her head at him. She could understand his fear but they couldn't just run, things could turn out far worse if they ran.

"What, you think we should run?" She said to him hurriedly already knowing the answer to her own question. "And have him follow us back to your world do you really want that? No Draco we go, he follows and brings half of demon kind with him. We wouldn't stand a chance." She said realising some sense of irony in her words as bringing the demons into the wizarding world had been her plans and orders from the beginning and yet here she was trying to prevent just that from happening. Maybe Draco had had a greater effect on her than she realised, or maybe it was just the death sentence hanging over her head that changed her mind.

Either way Rayne shook her head and quickly flicked her amethyst eyes back to Caleb. "No, we stay and we fight. Better he die here where he can be found when we're long gone than risk a raiding party come knocking at our doors as soon as we're back"

"So very presumptuous Rayne. You really honestly believe you can win, it is quite…" Caleb paused for a few moments as if to carefully consider his words. He clutched one hand to his chest in a mocking gesture and his tone of voice positively dripped with sarcasm, "…touching." He finally finished, even venturing to wipe a fake tear from his cheek. "I think you've been up there far too long my dear, allow me to give you back some sense of reality."

With those final words Caleb scowled towards Rayne and muttered a silent curse. He waved his arms in a pattern of movements required for his particular curse and thrust his palm violently towards Rayne. A huge, swirling ball of energy could be seen rippling the air as it hurtled the length of the corridor towards them, but he had taken too long with his dramatics and conjuring that Rayne was ready for him. She crossed her arms at her chest, muttered a short word and then rapidly thrust then back down to her sides, fingers dagger straight and pointed to the floor.

A similar rippling energy built up in a solid wall before Rayne and Draco, shielding them from Caleb's attacking curse. The energy ball hit the wall with a great sucking sound as it's energy was absorbed into the shield. "That always was your problem Caleb, far too fond of the theatrics. It makes you readable." Rayne said, an unpleasant grin crossing her face as she dropped her energy shield, and almost instantaneously, sent a curse of her own streaming towards Caleb.

In response Caleb did not raise a shield of his own, as Draco had been expecting to see, instead he cast another curse. This time he aimed so that the two spells would collide in mid air where the fizzed for a second before exploding and splattering the corridor with a iridescent, slimy looking substance. Draco ducked suddenly to the side as one particularly large clump came hurtling towards his face, dodging just in time and cringing as it squelched against the wall behind him.

Caleb on the other hand had not ducked or dodged away from the residue, he knew it no longer had any power and wouldn't harm him so he didn't allow any feeling of aversion to break his concentration. As soon as the spells had collided in mid-air he swiftly sent another curse in it's wake. Its path hidden from Rayne's view by the chaos of the colliding until it was too late for her to defend herself. She saw it hurtling towards her, closing the inches rapidly and there was nothing she could do but brace herself for it's impact and hope it did no lasting damage.

"Still believe I'm readable do we Rayne?" She heard as Caleb's scathing remark through the sudden ringing that had begun in her ears. The spell hit her hard and the world around her seemed to slow. The ball of energy had hit her square in her chest, quivering fingers of power rippled through her skin and felt as if they would choke her lungs. The force of it's impact lifted her from her feet, shoving her backwards the few meters until she slammed hard against the wall. What little air was left in her body was knocked from her and she crumpled into a heap on the floor of the corridor. The power danced across her skin sending probing hands deep into her body where they drew constricting pain from every one of her cells.

Her mouth opened and a scream of agony escaped her lips as the pain held her crippled on the floor, there was nothing she could do but ride out the curse. It would pass in a wave and eventually the power would fade and leave her, until that happened she gritted her teeth and forced herself to endure the rest of it's surge in silence.

It seemed to take an age but soon the power had rode up her body to the top of her head, every fibre of her brain feeling as if it would explode from the pain, and finally dissipated. Rayne found that she could breathe freely again and that the residual pain from the curse, though left her feeling achy all over, had disappeared entirely. With shaking limbs and ragged breath she dragged herself back to her feet and glared down the corridor at the smirking figure of Caleb.

"Nice curse." She muttered, her voice harsh and breathy but she was feeling more and more like her normal self again with every second that passed. "But you should have finished me off when you had the chance." Rayne added, a maniacal grin slowly spreading on her lips. "Egotism will be the end of you Caleb."

With those words Rayne willed her power to summon the elements and she shot vast streams of flame down the corridor towards Caleb through her outstretched fingers. Rather than cower from the flame he simply shook his head and stretched his arms out in front of him, a great wash of icy air rolled down the hall and extinguished the flames with a fizz and splutter. "And your trouble Rayne is that you have no creativity. You say I am the readable one but fire…please Rayne who would not have seen that one coming?" He droned sardonically, still shaking his head.

Draco was beginning to think that this was less of duel to the death between the two demons and more a war of insults and one-upmanship. A battle of wills and egos to see who was the 'bigger' demon and all it was doing was wasting time. Draco was feeling more and more uncomfortable down there in the demon realm and was more than ever itching to get back home to where he at least knew how things worked and didn't feel in danger of being eaten by something big and scary everything he walked around a corner. "Rayne can we get on with this please…" Draco pleaded impatiently, his tone of voice obviously annoyed.

"Oh dear Rayne, looks like lover boy wants to go home. Think he misses his mummy?" Caleb responded with a broad smirk before Rayne had a chance to answer Draco. He then, for the first time, turned his attention directly to Draco, who couldn't help but feel a tad better about the situation at least he was finally getting some attention paid to him he was after all not used to being ignored. "What's the matter, don't you like our home?" Caleb asked with arched eyebrows as he began to pace slowly down the corridor back towards the pair of them.

"Oh it's delightful." Draco sneered sarcastically. He knew that this was probably a bad move to respond in that way but for some reason he just could not hold his tongue and keep quiet, it wasn't in his nature.

"Draco…" Rayne hissed warningly, but Caleb held up a hand in a gesture of silencing her and cut her off before she could say any more.

"Don't try and protect him Rayne. Your boy here has a big mouth and a bad attitude to go with it." Caleb scowled, the stretch of the corridor between them closing more rapidly than should have been possible at the speed he was pacing. "A little lesson for you, don't try to play with the big guns if you can't handle it. You may know what we are but you have no concept of 'who' we are, what we are capable of. You think you're the big bad wizard? But you like all of the others are hindered by your morals and humanity, we are not. We are demons, our morals are like nothing in comparison and humanity is not a cross we bear so heavily." Caleb droned on as if he were lecturing Draco and that the words he spoke had been previously rehearsed. His intention had been to scare the young wizard, but when Draco appeared to be nothing more than bored by his words Caleb scowled a little more and added. "Care for me to give you a demonstration? Get to know first hand exactly what we are capable of doing to a person."

At those words Rayne stepped forwards and pressed a halting hand to Caleb's chest, stopping him from moving that slight bit more and reaching Draco. "Don't touch him." She said in a threateningly low voice. Yes she did indeed still have feelings for the arrogant but handsome wizard, how could she not after the time they had spent together. But really the last thing she needed was to go back without him, she didn't believe that even she could survive a death threat from both realms, it would leave her very little in the way of places to hide and she was sure the Draco's father would not take too kindly to the disappearance of his only son.

Caleb's scowl melted into a smirk as he regarded the demon in front of him. She was actually defending him, when any other time she would have been as ready as him to paint the walls with his blood, what the hell had he done to her up there? "I think you need a reminder of just what you are Rayne." He muttered before moving away from her in a blur of speed and grabbing Draco. Caleb pinned both of Draco's arms behind him with one hand and held him tightly around the neck with his other. "I swear, the sight of his blood will have you feeling yourself again in no time. Perhaps they'd even let you live…" He said coaxingly, tightening his grip on the struggling Draco.

It pained Rayne to admit it, but his words tempted her. Not only had it been what felt like an age since there had last been blood spilt by her hand, but a possible way back into her society? A way they would allow her back, believe the things that had happened had been through no fault of her own. That she had done her very best and had rectified it all by killing what could be seen as the biggest threat to not only their plans but their lives as well. Who wouldn't be tempted by an offer to go back to life that was familiar, comfortable and above all that you loved beyond anything.

Caleb watched intently as he saw Rayne consider his words. Something inside of her sparked and he knew that he had come very close to convincing her. "Come on Rayne, think about it. What is there for you up there?" He questioned still coaxing her closer to the choice he wanted. "But this way…You can prove that you are still one of us, still loyal to us. You know what you need to do Rayne, what choice do you have?"

What choice did she have? That really was the question, she had very little choice at all but in killing Draco she could give herself a little more in the way of choices. But tempting as it was could she really bring herself to do that?

For a few horrifying moments Draco stopped struggling against his captors grip and watched as thoughts of careful consideration passed over Rayne's face. Wait, she couldn't really be considering killing him could she? After everything, after all that they'd done together and after he'd abandoned everything he knew in his life to follow her to this wretched place? A sick feeling of terror planted itself in the pit of Draco's stomach and mixed badly with the broiling anger that threatened to bubble over. "Rayne…don't do this…" He muttered in a strangled voice, words fighting against the fingers at his throat to escape. "Help me…let's get out of here…lets…"

"Now I think we've heard more than enough from you." Caleb drawled nastily as he tightened his grip further still so that Draco's words could no longer fight their way from his mouth. "Come on Rayne, what's it going to be? Kill or be killed which would you prefer?" He goaded nastily, presenting Rayne with her final ultimatum. Time was ticking away and if he wanted the bounty on Rayne's head all for his own things had better come to an end quickly.

Rayne felt lost in her thoughts, the more she thought the more she seemed to drift away from what was happening and what had so recently happened so much so that Caleb's words seemed to be the only thing that made any sense to her. She was a demon, she belonged there and simplest way to solve most problems was with a death. Through the spilling of blood she would be forgiven and welcomed warmly back into the fold of her people, yes it all made perfect sense she knew just what she needed to do and how convenient that Draco happened to be there just when Rayne needed a suitable victim.

That seemed to be it, her mind was made up. Resolve seeming to be firm Rayne began to walk towards them, more than ready to kill Draco and save her own skin when she heard him speak. Not simply speak but plead with her in his all too familiar irritated tone. It was strange but upon hearing his voice Rayne felt suddenly more real again, as if a spell had been lifted and she was once more acting of her own free will. What had she been thinking? She couldn't kill Draco, not now after what he had done for her leaving everything behind just to help her, what kind of a person was she?

But that was just it, she wasn't a person was she? Not really, but it seemed that Draco had brought out something in her that she had not ever felt so strongly, her sense of humanity. Caleb was wrong, a demon could feel something more than simply bloodlust and impediment or not there was no way that Rayne could ignore what she was feeling.

With those few simple words Draco had changed Rayne's mind, or rather freed her from the delusions that Caleb had set into her mind. Either way she would never be welcomed back and they both knew that, she would not sacrifice Draco on a vain hope. Her mind set she continued to step towards the two of them, showing no sign of having had a change of heart, her and Draco needed to get out of there and for that to happen Caleb had to die. No more duelling, no battle of power and will, assassination was the only way to go.

Draco became more and more panicked as Rayne inched ever closer, "Rayne…no don't…you can't just…" He managed to struggle and stutter as Caleb held him tighter.

"That's it Rayne, it's easy. One little death and all will be well again." Caleb grinned evilly.

"I know, it's too easy." Rayne said flatly as she stood barely inches away from the two of them. She met Draco's eyes for a second before she flung a claw like hand against Caleb's chest. Harnessing her otherworldly strength Rayne felt as her sharp nails ripped through his clothing and met bare skin. They pierced through his soft cold flesh and blood began to flow beneath her fingers warming and wetting her hand. Muscle parted and ribs cracked and Rayne could feel the resounding throb of the muscle her fingers were seeking.

She was going for the heart, as with most beings destroy the heart and the creature will most surely die, demons were no exception. Caleb gasped in shock and grunted in pain as her fingers probed deeply inside of his chest, his grip on Draco loosening who took the opportunity to slip away and stand back from the gore. His face more pallid and pale than usual and a burning in the pit of his stomach threatening to empty the nights dinner there onto the corridor floor, but he was indeed getting what Caleb had promised a show of just what a demon was capable of.

Rayne's fingers met with Caleb's heart and encircled the strong but oh so vulnerable organ. Rayne cast her glance up away from where her wrist disappeared between his ribs to meet Caleb's eyes. "Much too easy." She said tightening her hand around his heart and violently ripping it from his chest.

Caleb gasped and crumpled to the floor, spluttering on blood and soundless words. His heart gone it still took a few seconds for him to die, long enough to watch as Rayne dropped the still throbbing organ from her hand where it landed with a wet slap on the floor beside his face.

Her eyes had bled to black and her breath came in ragged gasps. It had been too long since she had spilt blood and Rayne felt no shame in admitting to herself that she had enjoyed it. The rush felt almost sexual and now she'd had a taste she was hungry for more. Her will however was stronger than her desires and she knew that there was no time for them to hang around any longer. She looked at Draco, her eyes still deep pits of black. "Come on, lets get out of here."

Her voice sounded empty, haunting as if only the smallest part of the Rayne he thought he knew was still there. Draco was scared. Scared of that place and desperate to get home but scared also of her. He had seen something in her that had not been there before, something feral and ruthless and for a few terrifying moments he knew she could quite happily have killed him. Did he really want to travel back with such a creature? But then what other choice did he have.

Rayne held out to him a hand, painted from the wrist down with rapidly drying, rust coloured blood. She seemed to either not notice or not care about the gore that stained her alabaster skin but Draco cringed at the repugnant sight. He shied away from her hand until he realised that her offer was not relenting. She neither offered her other, clean hand, nor even made any other move, sound or gesture. In the end he knew that he had to take her hand, to grin and bear the gore if he wanted to get home quickly.

She felt him grip her hand and without a word called on the power and stepped into the darkness, dragging Draco along with her.

He didn't know what would happen, what they would do when they got back. But one thing that Draco did know was that things with Rayne would not be quite the same again and that he had some serious questions that needed answering. One thing for sure, Draco then knew far more about demons than he'd ever wanted to and if he was honest it scared him.


	20. A Time for Truth

-1A Time for Truth

Light flooded around Rayne and Draco and the unpleasant sensation of being nothing but a disembodied thought melted away as the stepped out of the darkness into the harsh glow of a street lamp. The hour was growing early back in the wizarding world and the dim, pale dawn was slowly beginning to creep over the sky. Draco looked around at far more comfortable surroundings and couldn't believe just how relieved he was to be home. He had no idea where they were but everything was so familiar and friendly looking that he couldn't hide his delight.

He peeled his hand away from Rayne's, the damp stickiness of blood had fused their skin tightly together so that it was almost a chore to let go. He did though, and as quickly as the gore would allow him. He took a moment to look around, to enjoy being back and being alive before he turned to glare harshly at Rayne. "What in the hell happened back there?" He spat angrily.

Rayne's eyes were once again their usual crystal purple selves, the power of her bloodlust having dissipated as they travelled, and she was beginning to feel more like her normal self yet again. For a moment she registered the question Draco had asked her but couldn't comprehend an answer, what exactly did he mean? In the end she ventured to ask him, but before the words had barely left her mouth a crushing sense of realisation fell over her. She actually considered killing him.

It was as if something back there had clouded her vision, her mind, but the more she thought the more the scenes came flooding back to her and they made her feel a little sick. He must had realised what she had been thinking and if simply replaying the memories in her mind were enough to scare Rayne then how exactly did she think Draco had been feeling at the time. "Draco." She said looking at him, her eyes wide with both horror and shame. "Oh God…I don't….I'm sorry." She said meekly, not knowing what she could say to make things better.

And apparently what she had said was far from what he wanted to hear. He raised a hand and shook his head in anger. "Save it Rayne. I don't want your apologies, I want the truth."

Rayne frowned, confused. "The truth about what?"

"Everything." Draco exclaimed, becoming exasperated. He didn't do well with getting scared and having to admit that he had been was even worse. The emotions tended to be covered up with anger and right at that moment he was taking it out on Rayne. But if they both were very honest she probably deserved most of it.

"All of those things he said…You were going to kill me Rayne, I know you were considering it." He ranted, barely pausing between sentences. But he took a breath a sighed, calming his anger slightly before going on. "Everything you told me before was a lie wasn't it. So tell me the truth, what were you doing at Hogwarts? Why did they send you there and why do they really want you dead." He demanded.

Rayne squirmed slightly under his demanding tone, this was a conversation she was hoping to avoid or at the very least she wanted to have it under lighter and more happy circumstances. "It's a long story Draco I don't really know where to start." She muttered meekly, still holding on to some vain hope that she could avoid having to tell him everything.

"Then start from the beginning. Because I tell you what Rayne, since I left everything behind to come with you I've got nothing but time." Draco shouted, his anger spilling over once again.

Yet rather than giving in and beginning her story anger began to flare inside of her too. So it seemed that an argument would ensue, but somehow the truth was bound to come out. Truths have a way of showing themselves in the throws of powerful emotions and anger was one of the strongest.

"I hardly asked you to come with me did I Draco, that was your choice. I only agreed to let you come along so you would stop holding me up." Rayne shouted back, her eyes bright and ablaze with rage. "I would have gone alone and none of this would have happened. You should have stayed behind, stayed…" She paused, defeated. Her arguments were lame and for whatever reason she just could not stay angry at him. He had every right to be angry with her and like it or not he wanted the truth and if she didn't want to just walk out on him there and then she would have to tell him. "…Where it was safe."

"Rayne I do not need nor do I want to be protected, I made a choice and would think you could at least appreciate my company. What I want is for you to tell me the truth why are you here? What is really going on." Draco continued, his tone softening as his anger began to burn out. "I think I deserve that Rayne. After the time we've spent together I at least deserve to know the truth."

He had a point, he did deserve to know the truth, certainly if they wanted anything more to do with each other and Rayne could hardly deny him of that. Not now at least, despite it all she had grown rather fond of having him around, plus she felt considerably guilty about thinking of killing him down in the demon realm. Perhaps the truth would buy her some of his forgiveness.

"Okay, I'll tell you." Rayne gave in with a sigh, stepping backwards she leant against a tall brick wall behind them wondering where to begin her story. "You're right, the story I told you about why I was here wasn't true. Not even close. I mean yes for a while I did live with a wizard family and that's how I got my place at Hogwarts, but it was for more like a few months rather than years." Rayne began to look a little sheepish as it dawned on her just how many lies she was going to have to reveal and even then after he knew everything would he still feel the same about her as he had before? Would the truth not just send him running as he would if she told him nothing. Couldn't she just save them both a whole lot of pain?

But she had started, why face looking cowardly and backing out, and so Rayne resigned to continue. "You probably already guessed they'd been hexed, mindless drones in the end really, but they played along like they were supposed to so they got to live, for the time being at least." She then paused, unsure of where to go with her story next. What she'd said explained how she was there but nothing of why and when it came to that question she didn't know where to start.

"The Order…" Rayne began, frowning at her false start before beginning again. "The Blood are the highest faction amongst the demons, the ruling party if you like. They keep things in order, make all the decisions regarding our entire race and is made up of the greatest power the demons have to offer. If things need to be done it is The Blood that will get it done.

'The Blood decided that they were tired of living underground, decided that they were tired of their banishment…And decided that it was time to take back the world above."

***

The night was waning and yet still Lucius stood in the darkness of his dungeon, the large table in front of him littered with ever more scraps of parchment, bubbling cauldrons and one pristine bottle of blood red potion that Lucius regarded gleefully. He had the key to getting what he wanted, the way to stop that wretched girl from disappearing on him again and most importantly of all a way to ensure that through all of it she would have no way of hurting or even killing him at all.

The potion ready now all Lucius needed to do was wait for the two of them to surface again, it was only a matter of time.

A flicker of something from one of the instruments in front of him caught Lucius's attention. His cold grey eyes skimmed up to the large pensive like basin and a malicious smile crept to his lips. There they were, clear as day and but an apparition away. This time he would have her for sure.

***

"They'd watched you all for years, studied every aspect of your way of lives. Even watched the muggles, as you call them, for a while. But they knew all along where the greatest power and their greatest obstacle lay. Take the magical world and the muggles would so easy fall in line, or die either way was good for them." Rayne went on, recapping the details as if she were telling an epic legend but it came all too soon for her to tell her part in it.

"After they had learned all they wanted from watching you all, the Blood believed they knew the best way in, the best place from which to infiltrate your world."

"Hogwarts." Draco muttered as he listened intently to Rayne's story. The facts beginning to unfold and become clear the more she spoke.

"Yes," Rayne nodded, looking gravely at Draco and holding his cold gaze as she continued to speak. "A place of great power, that had stood strong despite everything that had ever tried to destroy it. Take Hogwarts and the rest of the wizarding world would soon crumble in it's wake." She sighed and slid down the wall so that she sat on the ground in the pool of the dimming streetlight. "So that is why they sent me. Over all of the years Hogwarts was the place that they'd learned the least about. They knew a lot of general knowledge about it yes, and that it was the place that seemed to be the strongest and safest haven for all of the wizarding kind. But it was also a place of great secrets.

"They knew it was Hogwarts they needed to take, but they needed more information about it. From the inside. They could hardly plant a demonic professor anywhere but why not a student, and apparently I was the perfect candidate. The family and the ministry were easy enough to bewitch so that they would do what The Blood wanted. Brought me a place into the school, where I was to go to study what happened. To learn the weak links the fragile places, to report what I knew back to the demons and to eventually open the door through which they could plague your world."

"You were planning our downfall, our destruction. The whole time you knew that in the end we all would die and it would be because of you and yet you could still play along with the day to day life there, so happily. You could still play with and manipulate me knowing that you could easily kill me in the end, did everything really mean that little to you?" Draco ranted, realising that he was revealing a little more about his true feelings and emotions than he'd have liked to but he was sure it was buried deep enough in his anger and shock that she wouldn't notice too much. "Or I guess I should know that already after what happened down there, how ready you were to kill me then to buy back your own life."

"No, I wasn't…I didn't…That was different." Rayne struggled to say. Things were definitely going badly. "Honestly Draco I don't know what happened down there, perhaps it was just being back after being away so long or something Caleb did. I don't know but it wasn't me, not really, not anymore." She said in form of a bad apology. "It used to be me, before I would have killed you without a second thought. The only reason I didn't start as soon as I got to that school was because they'd ordered me not to, I wasn't to kill anyone only to observe them. To not give myself away to them. But something has changed Draco, something inside of me is different I can feel it." She pleaded with him, holding a hand to her chest as she spoke.

"You I never wanted to kill, not even from the beginning. I felt your power, the potential you have. Felt it when you felt mine back on the train, remember. From then you were more than just something to play with Draco, I knew what you could be and with our help, our power it could be amazing. Wars are best won with alliances and I'd hoped that in you we could have forged a strong one, that with you and people like you we could have taken the world for our own, lived side by side again. Our powers are different but still twinned with each other Draco, you know it as well as I do and it is this power that should rule."

Draco listened as she spoke, amazed at the things she was saying to him. He had imagined something awful but what he had imagined was nothing compared to what she told him. Awful indeed was her story but still fantastic and tempting at the same time. He'd wanted in her as an ally since the moment he had felt her power. He had seen great potential in her and her kind, believed that they could be of great use and benefit to others like he and his father and now he knew that she too had wanted that very same thing. She was right, together, the mixing of their kin powers could have done great things but now was it too late for all of that? Had the truth been revealed too much too late to save things?

"But I revealed too much of what I am, what my powers and my orders were. It's not your fault Draco, I should never have gotten so close to you, told you so much…" Rayne shook her head, an embarrassing wave of emotion threatening to engulf her as tears grazed, hot and stinging, at her eyes.

"But you didn't tell me anything Rayne, not until now. I didn't know any of this, you told me nothing what happened?" Draco asked frantically wondering how the words 'it's not your fault had arisen'. Since when had things even been conceived as his fault? Those words are never spoken unless the thought has run through somebody's head already.

"But I did, I told you about The Blood. Told you what I really was, not just a demon but the power I have." Rayne explained, turning her face away as her will gave way and the tears began to fall. "You might not have understood the significance yourself, but you told people who did, or at least were suspicious. You told Snape, he told your father…"

"How do you know this?" Draco cut in, questioning with a frown crossing his brow.

"Your father was there the night I was attacked Draco, he and Snape wanted me for something. But the demons got to me first. That is why they want me dead, because they were too close to finding out everything. I don't know what they were planning but whatever it was the demons were scared of it, and that is why the plans were scrapped and why I am wanted dead. I failed them, supremely, and death is my penalty."

"'Death is your penalty'?" A cold and all too familiar, drawling voice broke through their quiet conversation and dragged Rayne back to her feet.

Lucius stood towering above the two of them, a callous smirk on his lips as he observed the two. "How very interesting. But, do tell me, penalty for what exactly?" He asked, eyebrows arching highly on his angular face.

Rayne's breath caught in her chest in yet another embarrassing emotion, this time she felt gripped with fear. As if things down in the demon realm hadn't been bad enough but now they were back and yet again she was being stalked, and not by a demon. Was there really no place Rayne could go to escape? She raised her amethyst eyes to meet his, holding his gaze steady despite the fear that had her shaking on the inside. She did not answer his question not just for the fact that she didn't feel like recounting the entire story yet again.

Lucius regarded her for a moment, obviously coming to the conclusion that she was not going to answer him and he merely shrugged. "Well no matter," He said dismissively, digging into the pocket of his robes and pulling out a bottle containing his blood red coloured potion. "There will be plenty of time for questions later." Swiftly he uncorked the bottle and threw the contents into Rayne's face.

Rayne hardly saw the movement and had no time to defend herself or protect her eyes as the potion was thrown towards her. She felt it splash, white hot, across her face. It burned her eyes and clung wax like to her skin, spreading outwards covering her, choking her. Her breathing came in ragged gasps, both from the effect of the potion and from simple fear of what was happening to her. Her vision became dark and cloudy at it's edges as her body collapsed to the floor. As the abyss engulfed her Rayne heard Lucius utter softly, "All the time in the world." Then there was nothing but darkness.


	21. Powerless

-1Powerless

It was the throbbing pain in her head that began to drag her back to consciousness first. The blackness became tinged with shots of red as each wave of pain took hold of her skull until the dark had faded to nothing but red. Rayne came to realise she was seeing nothing but the backs of her own eyelids and found that she could stand to force them open a crack.

The light in the room, wherever she was, was thankfully dim and Rayne found that with each tiny movement she made the pain gradually lessened. She felt as if she were clawing her way out of a black hole and had finally nearly made the surface. As things around her became clear Rayne found that she was slumped uncomfortably on a hard stone floor. Her arms ached terribly but she could not move them to ease the discomfort due to the fact that they was shackled by short chains to a mouldering wall against which she had been unceremoniously dumped.

The sudden awareness of her capture snapped Rayne harshly back to a full state of consciousness. She stood as quickly as she could muster the energy and, eyes wide, surveyed what was her new prison. She was chained into a small cell, bars from floor to ceiling, double the containment. The rest of the room appeared to be much like your typical dungeon. A small number of other cells all equipped the same as her own lined one of the walls but the vast expanse of the room appeared to be mostly empty. _I'm guessing this room isn't used all that much any more. _Rayne thought nervously as she looked around and finally spied her captor at the other end of the room.

A surge of anger coursed through her as the few past events of the night came back to her at the sight of Lucius Malfoy standing before a table at the far end of the room. Rayne remembered the potion, whatever it had been that knocked her out, the wax like feel of it against her skin, burning, choking. Where had it gone? And more importantly had it done anything more than simply knock her out?

She rushed forwards, testing the length and strength of the chains that bound her. The chinking noise of their movement drew Lucius's attention and he turned to face her, a vile smirk still painted on his lips. "Ah, it awakens." He spoke softly, his voice denigrating and full of distaste.

"What in the hell did you do to me." Rayne spat, tugging again against her chains. They felt old and rusted, with her preternatural strength she may well be able to break them, but at that moment she still felt rather weak. Residual effect of the potion she assumed.

"Now, now, all things in time." Lucius replied silkily, approaching Rayne at a slow saunter. "As I said earlier, we have all the time in the world for questions. Most of which, however, it will be you who must answer them." He came to a halt barely half a meter from the bars of her cell, the look on his face readable only as evil. "I do believe you have a great deal to tell me Rayne."

Rayne bared her teeth, willing for her strength to return to her again. "I will tell you nothing." She hissed, pulling sharply against the shackles at her wrists and grunting in frustration when the ancient metal did not budge even a fraction. She pulled at them again, obviously this time trying to break free of her restraints but still nothing, what the hell was wrong with her?

"Oh I did so hope you were going to say that." Lucius responded gleefully. "And I wouldn't struggle so much, I don't want you to hurt yourself…not yet."

Rayne stopped yanking at her chains and looked up into his eyes, her anger giving way once again to the fear that had gripped her when she'd first awoken. "What did you do to me?"

"Wonderful concoction that potion of mine wasn't it?" Lucius said brightly. He turned away again and plucked its empty bottle off of the table. "Took many, many hours of painstaking work to get it just right, a lot of factors to take into account. But I couldn't be more pleased with its results."

"The potion…" Rayne muttered softly, so it had done more than just knock her out sap her strength perhaps. She glanced down at her red raw wrists, "What did it do to me?"

"Aren't we like a broken record today." Lucius shook his head. "But as you so insistently keep asking…The potion is not only a powerful sleeping draught but is laced with highly potent power suppressers. And by the looks of things, it works."

"Power suppressers? You messed with my power? Motherfucker, do you have any idea what you have done."

"Now now, harness that temper of yours Rayne please. Like I said, I don't want you to hurt yourself." Lucius smirked again. "And as it happens I know exactly what I've done, protecting myself. You really think I am foolish enough to contain you here, at full power? I rather value my own life as it is Rayne."

Rayne was only half listening to what Lucius was saying, his words sounded distant, something greater was beginning to trouble her. "How long was I asleep for?" She suddenly asked.

Lucius frowned, wondering why she'd been awake for several minutes now and still it had only been her who had asked any questions. "Several hours. In all honesty I had not expected it's effect to be so strong, but no matter you are awake now."

"Hours!" Rayne exclaimed, horrified at the thought. She'd been out for hours and in this same spot probably for the greater part of it, Lucius was bound to have apparated them back to wherever here was as soon as Rayne had fallen. What naturally worried Rayne more now was the bounty hunters, whatever protections Lucius had around that place wouldn't keep them out for long, if they could get into Hogwarts to find her with little or no trouble then here would be childs play. The thought of dozens of bloodthirsty demons all hungry for their pound of her flesh winging their way rapidly to where she was now held captive filled Rayne with the hugest sense of foreboding and to top it all of she was also powerless. Even her more basic powers like her increased strength seemed to have been blocked by Lucius's potion, she really was at that moment as helpless as a captive muggle.

"You've got to let me go, you've no idea what you've done, what's coming." She hurriedly ranted, disregarding all other thoughts and feelings and concentrating hard on finding some way of escaping. Somehow pleading and appealing to Lucius's better nature didn't seem to offer her an awful lot of hope but at that moment Rayne saw it really as her only option.

"Let you go? Now why on earth should I want to do that?" Lucius asked, arching one eyebrow and shaking his head, his long platinum hair dancing around his shoulders with the movement. "No, do make yourself at home my dear girl, I have a feeling you may be here for a while.

"It seems you have made quite the impression upon my son. Now he does not fall for people so easily and so there must be something particularly special about you for you to have ensnared him so quickly." Lucius went on, his voice light and conversational but always tainted with the hint of a knife edge. The barest of threats hidden within his words. "The things he'd told to my dear friend Severus certainly did spark us an interest in you and now finally I have you just where I want you." He began to pace quickly across the room until he stood before the bars of Rayne's cell. Lucius wrapped two pale and slender hands around two of the bars and gripped them tightly, an eager and vile grin spreading on his lips. "And now you are going to tell me everything I want to know."

Rayne barely heard his little speech, her mind was too busy racing with futile and vain ideas about how she might escape that dungeon with her life. Each one more fantastical than the last and none of which had a hope in hell of ever succeeding. Once it seemed that he had finished speaking, for that moment at least Rayne shook her head and looked directly at him, "I do not have the time for this, you need to let me go." She said firmly.

At her words Lucius threw his head back and laughed, a low and sinister sound that echoed around the walls of the dungeon. "Do you not realise the situation you are in Rayne? I do not _need _to do anything, you on the other hand have a choice. You can either answer my questions willingly or I have ways of making you tell me."

"Will you cut out the games, you have no idea of what is coming. The longer I stay here we are all in danger now just let me go, and give me back control of my power."

Lucius actually became more interested as Rayne spoke this time, something was coming? She seemed nervous, and not of what he might do to her either as he would have wished. No her mind seemed to be elsewhere and she hardly seemed to even register the things he had been saying to her. "What is coming?" He asked, well as good a place as any to begin his interrogation. If she had an answer that actually interested him all the better, if it was simply an attempt at a diversion well he would not be fooled and he was in no hurry to finish things.

"Ask Draco," Rayne responded hurriedly. "He knows everything, I told him it all. Just let me go first."

"Draco knows does he? Well now that is useful information. However I should like to hear it, ah, straight from the horses mouth, as it were. I shall perhaps use his information to corroborate with your own story but for now I want to hear things from you." Lucius said with a frown. "I do have ways of making you talk and I can guarantee to you that none of them are pleasant."

Arguing with him seemed to be getting her nowhere, really it was doing nothing but wasting yet more of her precious time. "Demons, I stay here much longer and your nice little dungeon here will soon be overrun with demons. No matter how well protected this place is they will find a way in and you do not want to be here when they do." She finally replied simply.

Her answer was certainly interesting but not nearly enough to satisfy Lucius. On the contrary it seemed to spark his interest even more. "Why are they coming?" He asked before a partial answer occurred to him. "They are coming for you? How interesting, now why on earth would they all be coming for you?"

This time it was Rayne's turn to smirk, her situation was looking ever more hopeless and so if these really were to be her final moments alive she might as well scrape any sense of enjoyment out of them that she could. "You're housing a wanted fugitive." She said darkly, "I am wanted dead Lucius, and the bounty hunters have no qualms about how they get to their bounty. They'll tear this place apart and kill anyone they find to get to me, now if I were you I'd let me go."

"A fugitive?" Lucius asked, genuinely surprised. Her answer only served to raise in him yet more questions, but if she was telling the truth then there would probably be little time left for him to answer any. He did also get the feeling, however, that she was trying her hardest to scare him into releasing her and he wasn't going to fall for it. As it happened another idea had sparked in him, if there really were demons on their way here then perhaps he could use that to his own advantage. He had what they wanted and in return he could bargain a deal, her life for information perhaps even an audience with one of the more influential figures in the demon realm. The possibilities seemed promising and highly appealing.

"So at any moment demons could coming rushing in through my door?" Lucius asked, a mock disbelieving tone to his voice. "Well now that could be interesting, why don't we just wait and see what happens shall we."

"Interesting? You think it could be interesting?" Rayne responded, her tone exasperated. Was there really no way she could win with Lucius? "Have you understood nothing that I've told you. It won't be interesting for long, when they get here we'll all be dead. You, me, Draco, your wife. Anybody in this place will be torn apart, demons do not know what mercy is if they want something killing is the easiest way to get it. You have what they want, you do the math?"

"This story is all very intriguing Rayne," Lucius said dismissively. "However what gives you the impression that for even one moment I might believe you?" He asked, leaning heavily against the bars of her cell and aching his eyebrows nastily in her direction. "You may have entranced my son but I however am not so easily fooled. Now, we shall wait here for your hoard of demons to show up. If they do I shall sell you to them for the information I want, either way you shall prove to be of use to me."

"Your arrogance will be your downfall Lucius." Rayne said sulkily, her eyes were dark and her lips were curled in a distasteful sneer.

"Indeed." Lucius leered, pushing himself away from the bars and straightening his robes. "Well as much as I am enjoying this little conversation there are a few things I must prepare. Do enjoy your last moments of life Rayne, I look forward to meeting your family at the funeral party." With those final words Lucius turned and stalked out of the dungeon. Rayne heard the distant slam of a door followed by the harsh lull of silence, telling her that she was indeed entirely alone.

Alone, powerless, in a cell and chained to a wall to top everything off. How exactly her situation could become more hopeless Rayne could not even begin to fathom. Lucius would not let her go no matter what she said to him, that part was obvious, and without any kind of magical power to help her there was nothing Rayne could do but stand there and wait. The minutes would tick by and as each one passed her impending death would loom ever closer.

***

Rayne had fallen into some kind of depressive stupor, she had given in to the inevitable and while she was certainly not liking the idea of what was to come she had also given up on any plan of fighting it. Perhaps it really was in the end what she deserved. In a way she had betrayed everyone, Draco, the people at Hogwarts and even her own family, her own kind. Everybody in the end gets their just deserts, Rayne just hadn't seen hers coming quite as soon as this.

The sound of the door to the dungeon slamming captured her attention, was this it? Had the time come finally? Somehow she hadn't really expected them to use the door, far too civilised and not particularly terrifying or dramatic. But still the ominous noise echoed strangely down to the depths of the dungeon and Rayne held her breath, waiting to see what emerged at the foot of the stairs.

To Rayne's vague surprise it was not a demon that emerged from the stairs, it was Draco. He cast a hurried glance back up the stairs before rushing across the floor towards Rayne's cell. "You're okay." He said in a relieved tone of voice as he looked over her slumped form behind the bars.

Rayne turned her head to meet his eyes, a look of disgust crossing her face. "Okay? I'd like to debate that fact actually Draco. I am really as far from okay as I could possibly be." She said scathingly.

"You know that isn't what I meant," Draco retorted, a slight scowl falling over his features. This was not exactly how he'd wanted what may be their final ever conversation together to go. "I meant the potion." He went on, forcing his words to remain civilised as he sighed. "The potion my father made, I…Well I wasn't sure if you'd wake up again."

Those words from him melted Rayne's bad mood ever so slightly. He'd been worried about her, even after everything he'd seen and heard from her he still cared. Rayne forced herself to crack a small, sad smile. "Well I did." She muttered, avoiding meeting his eyes. "Though under the circumstances I'm not sure that it's such a good thing."

Draco smiled a little more broadly as he dug one hand into the pockets of his robes. "That was before." He said, a vague tinge of excitement to his voice as he pulled out an old and rusted looking bunch of keys.

"So you've come to spring me from jail. Draco I do believe I've been a bad influence on you, what will your father say." Rayne said. She couldn't help herself but to smile wide enough to match Draco's as he eagerly unlocked the door to her cell before stepping in and starting on the manacles that held her chained to the wall.

"I have the utmost respect for my father but…" Draco said, pausing as he carefully considered his next set of words. How could he say what he wanted without saying too much, embarrassing himself and leaving himself all too vulnerable. In the end he sighed and finished by saying, "I just wouldn't have been able to bear it, knowing you died when I could have helped."

The second manacle fell away from her wrist, Rayne was free but still powerless. "Thank you Draco. You've at least made my death that little bit more dignified." She said rubbing her sore wrists and still not meeting his gaze.

"What do you mean?" Draco frowned.

"I appreciate your help, I really do Draco but in the end it won't make much of a difference. That potion of your fathers it did something to me, to my power. I haven't even a shred of magic to use to help me and I don't know how to get it back." She explained with a shake of her head.

"I…oh well I could…"

"There's no time Draco," Rayne cut off his attempts at trying to say or do something that may somehow make things better. "I realise now that there is no other way, this is my fate and I can't change it." Finally she turned to meet his eyes and firmly held his gaze. "When they do come just promise me one thing Draco please. Promise me that you won't be here, that'll you find somewhere safe to stay until they've gone. Don't give them any reason to hurt you because, well, like you said I don't think I could stand to watch you die, not when it could be avoided."

"You could still run." Draco suggested hopefully, "I mean I know there would be no way for me to go along this time but you could still run, get away from here. You don't have to die Rayne."

She sighed and shook her head. "No Draco I do. I've been here too long and wouldn't get anywhere near far enough away before they caught me. And then without my magic…Draco I'm as powerful as a sixteen year old muggle right now, how much chance do you think I have against a hoard of demons?"

"Hoard?" Draco blurted out quite suddenly, one or two he'd been expecting but a hoard? A hoard of demons invading his home, the thought was purely terrifying.

Rayne again cracked a small smile and even ventured to let out a sad chuckle. "Okay maybe a slight exaggeration, but I wouldn't put anything past them. If I leave it'll just give them an excuse to kill you all first, if I stay then they'll get what they want right away and I can hope they'll leave it at that. There's no reason for you to die because of me Draco, you don't deserve it not after how I lied and played everyone for fools. I know what I've done and now it is time for me to pay the price."

"So I'm just to leave you here to die am I?" Draco asked, finding himself in somewhat of a dilemma. Part of him was eager to preserve his own life and was all for her idea of running and hiding somewhere, but a small part of him also didn't want to just leave her there alone to face whatever was coming. "I don't…I can't…" He began, words trailing off as he really couldn't find the right ones to say.

"Don't argue, just go while you've got the chance." Rayne sighed, grabbing one of his hands for a moment and squeezing. "And I'm sorry, about everything I've put you through. I really didn't mean for any of this to happen, I just never thought I'd meet a wizard quite like you." Rayne smiled sadly and placed a delicate, fluttering kiss on his lips before she pushed him away. "Now go, find somewhere safe and hide, before it's too late."

Draco fought a small battle of conscience as she pushed him away, lingering a longing look on her for a few moments longer before he hurriedly turned and almost ran for the stairs. But the sound of a door slamming open and splintering stopped him in his tracks. It was already too late.


	22. Dangerous Games

-1Dangerous Games

The enchantments surrounding the Malfoy Manor seemed to be powerful enough to, at the very least, prevent the demons from materialising straight into the dungeon and killing the both of them before they'd even had time to realise what was going on. The downside of this however was that they were forced to wait and listen to their impending doom thunder down the stairs.

Draco backed back across the room, his pale eyes wide and transfixed on the foot of the stairs where he awaited for the first glimpse of the demons to appear. He was not entirely sure of what he expected to see and a part of him was curious, history and legend had always told of demons being grotesque and evil looking creatures; he knew now that this was certainly not true, Rayne could all but pass for human or a witch at the very least, but a small part of him that had loved the tales still expected to see a slavering hoard of monsters come rampaging around the corner.

A nudge of his shoulder told Draco that Rayne had headed forwards as he backed away leaving them standing shoulder to shoulder in the centre of the room. She stood tall and steady, portraying a sense of calm, though her crystal purple eyes were showing far too much white and the shallow quickness of her breath belied the fear that was coursing through her. She may be able to stand strong in the face of death, but to stand fearless was beyond even her power.

Power…, "Damn!" Rayne muttered, wishing she knew of some way that she could get hers back in the few short moments she had left, perhaps she could have at least protected Draco. "Is there nowhere here you can hide?" She hissed hurriedly, surprised at how calm and controlled her voice sounded.

Draco shook his head, "No, nowhere. I guess we're in this together." He muttered. He was unable to hide the shaking in his voice. The questions he'd been asking himself earlier seemed now to be futile. He liked Rayne sure enough but had he been prepared to put his life on the line for her? Hardly, but it seemed too little to late to have made such a decision and now he was stuck facing death and feeling what? Resentment? Could he really resent Rayne for this situation or could there be someone else that could be blamed. Draco risked a glance away from the stairs and caught Rayne's eye, no it hadn't been her fault, not really But how could his father have been foolish enough to put them all in danger like this. Was he really so proud to not see the danger they were in, had been in since he brought Rayne there.

For a heart wrenching moment Draco knew where that resentment really stemmed from. His father who he so respected and looked up to had summoned their very undoing fully believing that he, they, could benefit from them and now he was nowhere to be seen. Just as the proverbial shit was about to hit the fan he was safely out of the way and his only son was left wondering where his champion was this time. Always Draco had been able to rely on his father, no matter what the problem or issue was he'd been having, to come riding to the rescue, but here, ironically in his own home, Draco had very little hope that Lucius would come to help him this time.

Rayne caught his glance as Draco looked towards her, he looked troubled; thinking far too hard in what was such a hopeless moment. If they'd have had time she would have liked to ask him to spill his thoughts to her, but she was fighting with her own dilemma; how could she save him? It seemed she had come to terms with her own impending death but she could not allow Draco to die because of her. When she had grown so sentimental she couldn't quite say, but she cared something for Draco that she never thought she could feel for someone, not even another demon; they didn't buy into many human emotions and compassion was certainly not anywhere on the radar. But she felt something so close to this for Draco, how could she die with his own death resting on her conscience?

But the two of them had no more time to consider their own silent issues as a string of figures emerged from the foot of the stairs, filling one half of the room and blocking any small hope of an escape route from the teenage pair that stood trembling, side by side, awaiting the inevitable.

Draco had expected them to round the corner and slam into them like a fist, after their violently loud entry their quiet and solemn gathering on the dungeon floor seemed unusual. A outsider could perhaps have seen the situation as calm; but to any that could feel the thick, choking tension that filled the room knew different.

Their assembling before the two of them did however did give Draco a chance to take in their appearances. All of the legends proving to be false, Rayne was indeed not the only exception to the false images that had been painted of demons in the past. Draco looked over them, his pale grey eyes flicking nervously from one demon to another but coming to linger on the man standing in the foreground, exuding confidence, power and menace; this was quite obviously the man in charge.

Draco studied him without particularly meaning to, he seemed immense; not simply in height and size though these were certainly formidable, but he seemed to fill an unnatural amount of space as if the low ceilinged dungeon was far too small to contain him. Power seemed to leak from him in cloying waves, could he kill them without even raising a finger to touch them.

"You eluded us for longer than expected Rayne, I am surprised." The demon at the front of the group spoke, his voice reverberating around the room in deep, resonant tones. "Not one of us believed you had the power, let alone the intelligence to escape us. But nonetheless, we have found you now."

The voice drew Draco's eyes to the mans face, he looked a surprising amount like Rayne. His feature harder and more definitely male of course but they had the same crystalline eyes, the same nose, same mouth though his was outlined by a Vandyke beard which stood out stark and black against his oh so pale skin. Could the man come to kill her really be Rayne's own father?

"And look, your little _friend _is here too. How….quaint." He spoke again, an unpleasant smile coming to his lips as his eyes finally caught sight of Draco stood beside Rayne.

Rayne swallowed hard and looked up into her fathers face, she shoved the fear that would quaver her voice and make her body tremble to the back of her mind. Stand strong in the face of death, some might think that the situation couldn't get any worse but Rayne knew better; fear would do nothing but lead to more problems. She needed to believe that she could at least save Draco but the demons before them would use any fear she showed to their own advantage, so be brave. It was her only option.

"So you found me," She said flatly with a nonchalant shrug, surprising herself a little at how unconcerned she really did sound. "That's fine, I won't run anymore."

The smile that was painted across her fathers lips widened into a sinister grin. He threw back his head in a shimmering curtain of raven black hair and laughed. It was a cold and biting sound that made Draco shiver as if he had been plunged into a bath of ice, displaying no hint of the mirth that should come with such a burst of laughter. "You could hardly run from us here Rayne, you know that as well as I do." He lowered his eyes and locked his gaze with Rayne's, the smile melting from his face and a frown appearing in a movement with such fluidity it was as if his face was made from finely moulded liquid. "What are you planning?"

"Nothing." Rayne said, her voice just as blank as it had been before but there was a new, dark glint in her eye. It was true she had nothing planned but he didn't trust her, that could be an advantage. "Honestly, I don't think I'm in much of a position to be planning anything right now." She added, the slightest hint of sarcasm leaking through in her tone.

"You were always sly and conniving Rayne, perhaps not particularly wise but certainly cunning. You could have hardly forgotten just how well I know you," He said, arching his dark eyebrows, "Why don't you do away with the innocent act and just tell us now what you have planned, it will help things to run far more smoothly from here on."

Rayne even ventured to allow a small snort of laughter to escape her at his words, was that really how he'd always seen her? Must have been otherwise why else was she the one elected for this dumb and futile mission in the first place. "No act, I just like any one else can see quite clearly when my time is up." She said sweetly. "Perhaps I am more wise than you take me for father. Wise enough to know that facing all of you, here and now I am in fact quite _powerless_." She emphasised the word powerless, although she didn't want to give away the exact truth about what had happened to her power a few choice hints couldn't go amiss. "So in order that things can, as you put it, go more smoothly from here on I will not fight you." Her face at this point fell into a grave but blank mask. "I accept what is to happen, what needs to happen, and have no argument to the contrary. I will go with you quietly and willingly so there will be no need for any… unnecessary bloodshed."

"Unnecessary bloodshed?" He laughed with a shake of his head. "My girl I think you've been up here much too long. The day a demon would rather take the easy way out and not see blood spilt is the sign of their own downfall."

"Maybe so, but you must agree that when the blood is to be your own the situation rather looses its appeal." Rayne sneered. "So could be please put an end to this display of banter, thrilling that it is, I'd rather not delay the inevitable any longer." She began to step closer to the cluster of demons inwardly quashing the squirming fear that was writhing in the pit of her stomach. Was this really a good idea, why not simply keep on talking? But if she left things any longer would she still be able to save Draco and at least die with some sense of dignity.

At the thought of him she turned her head for a split second and caught his eye. He'd been quiet for so long, his pale face was solemn and grave but carefully hiding the terror he must be feeling, maybe he too knew the importance of keeping a brave face. As their eyes locked he raised his hand as if to grab Rayne's, maybe to keep her from going to them, but he quickly thought better of it and dropped both his arm and his gaze. Rayne's throat clenched and she swallowed hard to choke back the tears, no crying would be very very bad right now, as a demon there was never really a good time for tears.

Quickly she turned back to face her father and the rest of the Blood demons he had brought to back him up, hoping that their little exchange had gone all but unnoticed, the glint that shone in her fathers eye however told her otherwise.

"Looks as if your little friend would rather you not go Rayne. Would he fight to keep you safe?"

Damn, they'd finally started paying Draco some attention and if he was there looking for a fight and would not get it from Rayne perhaps they would try and force it from Draco. She glanced back at him and then shook her head. "No, he would not. He is not fool enough to try such a thing." She said, her words trying to convince herself more than anyone else. "Nor does he have any amount of power worthy enough to give you any sport."

"You sound as if you are trying to protect him Rayne." He said suspiciously.

"Perhaps a little part of me feels some sentiment for him still yes, but I merely state what is fact. He is a wizard and young, there is little within his magical repertoire that could do any damage or pose any threat." Her voice remained blank and she carefully avoided turning to look at Draco as she spoke, she could not say such harsh and hurtful things and watch his reaction to her words, right at that moment she needed to say it and mean it.

"Oh my my Rayne, it seems that your little friend is not too impressed with the things you've just said. Could it be that you are lying to me?" He asked stepping closer to Rayne. As she had been speaking he had not been watching her; he had been watching Draco closely over her shoulder, gauging his reaction, and from the scowl that he saw settle over the young wizards face he knew that this boy was the key to Raynes' undoing. He reached out a hand and grasped Rayne's chin, raising her eyes to meet his identical pair. He frowned as he held her under his severe gaze, "Or… is it not me who you are lying to?"

Rayne scowled as he held her chin, his fingers digging almost painfully into her flesh. She moved, wanting to sweep his hand away from her but he quickly grabbed her by both shoulders and turned her roughly to face Draco. He dropped his gaze and looked away from her, melting Rayne's scowl from her lips her anger being replaced with a crushing sense of guilt. Her father may have not grasped the truth but he'd caught on to something and now that Draco had caught his attention it seemed that he was not simply going to let the matter drop.

"Could it be that you had this boy fooled, that he though he knew the _real _you, and now it seems that some home truths may have come to light." He hissed in Raynes ear as he forced her to look at Draco.

She knew that she had not lied, that Draco knew the truth. He may not have known for long but he had demanded the truth from her and she had willingly given it. But as she stood there and gazed at him, the look painted on his face, she felt almost convinced that she was still lying to him. Her father believed it and it seemed that Draco believed it too, but now what worried her the most was what her father was planning. Her moment for a quick and easy death had long since sailed, he was enjoying these games. Every demon was a sadist at heart, another's pain was an empowering emotion and Rayne could feel the demons around her floating on the power trip herself and Draco were feeding them, the more they played the better the trip would be and Rayne was dreading just how far they would push them.

Rayne shook herself free of his grip and took a step further away from him, closer to Draco. "I'm not lying, to anybody." She said stubbornly, looking between the both of them but casting a longer, more earnest glance at Draco; willing him to believe her words. But her hopes were not set too high, after all she'd been lying to him since they'd met why should he believe that now was any different? She could hope that he still felt something for her and that her words had gotten through to that part of him but the look on his face chilled her to the core. "He knows the truth." She finished quietly.

"Really?" He asked sceptically. "He knows why you came here? How you were sent to be the destroyer of them all, to undo their race from the inside and yet still he chooses to be here, by your side?"

"I know." Draco answered for Rayne. His voice was quiet but his tone was sure and certain. He kept his pale gaze cast carefully away from them as he spoke, as if the words would not come if he had to look directly at Rayne. "I made her tell me the truth. And I may not particularly _want _to be here but I am here all the same."

"So you aren't here in some gallant gesture to try and protect my daughter then?" He stepped around Rayne and began to pace in a circle, the young couple at the centre still not able to meet each others gaze. "But then _why _exactly are you here?"

"Because I live here." Draco replied in a biting tone, becoming angry at the patronising questions. It wasn't the answer Rayne's father had asked for, not really, but Draco wasn't planning on having an in depth discussion about the confusing mess of thoughts and emotions that had been plaguing him since they'd come back from the demonic realm.

"Oh because you live here." He exclaimed, throwing his head back and letting a burst of laughter spill over his lips. "You decide to spend your time down in this dingy little dungeon, with a girl who you _supposedly_ know is about to die because you live here." His tone was disbelieving and dripping with sarcasm. He rounded on Draco, placing a large, pale hand on each of his shoulders and leaning down to hiss into the boys ear. "Now you know that is not the answer I want to hear."

Draco flinched at his touch, Rayne could see him fighting the urge to throw off his grip. Instead he cringed and shuddered, Rayne had the feeling that if it could have his skin would have crawled away by itself to escape the demons touch. She had to wonder whether he would flinch in the same way if she tried to touch him now, it wasn't something she really wanted to find out because she feared what the answer would actually be.

"Can't we just leave him out of this." Rayne said suddenly, stepping forward as if she would rescue Draco from her fathers grip, but the look in those eyes twin to her own stopped her. "Please. You want me and here I am, please just let Draco go back upstairs don't make him a part of this."

Those amethyst eyes flicked between the young couple, taking them both in. They both looked so very pathetic it was sickening. He sighed, straightening up, and finally let go of Draco; the tension visibly spilling out of the boy as soon as the weight of those pale hands left his shoulders. "Don't make him a part of this?" He repeated Rayne's words slowly. "Well you see Rayne you've left me in somewhat of a predicament here, I'd very well let him go along and live his life but my issue is with the information he now holds inside that little blonde head of his."

Draco frowned, "What do you mean?"

But Rayne knew all too well what her father was getting at, she shook her head and glared at him enraged by the way things were going. "You bastard!" She exclaimed suddenly, "Always with the fucking game playing, why does it delight you to play with people like this?"

"How dare you speak to me in that tone." He hissed, advancing menacingly on Rayne. He towered above her, appearing successfully intimidating. He could taste her fear on his tongue, sweet and slightly bitter, feeding his power and raising his pulse. Things had just become more interesting, but he still was not ready to kill her, not yet.

Rayne felt her throat clench but she forced herself to look up at him, she would not show him that she was scared and her anger was helping her be successful. Anger was one of those wonderful emotions that could override everything else you were feeling at the time and right at that moment Rayne was grateful for the searing heat that was coursing through her veins. "No, I will not blindly take it anymore." She shouted, stepping away from him so that she did not need to crane her neck to meet his eyes, "You did not realise what sending me here would cost you, all of you, and so you come back with the intention of not only making me pay for what went wrong but to get your pound of innocent flesh in revenge too. Blood is not the solution to everything why do you think that this will make everything okay again?"

"That you even need to ask that question Rayne is more than proof enough that you are too far gone to save." He replied darkly. "You are right I did not know what sending you here would cost us, cost me. And if I could take it back…"

Rayne tutted disbelievingly, she shook her head and turned away from him. The movement may have placed her facing the other demons but it was a definite improvement on looking up into those lying crystalline eyes.

"You think I want to lose my only daughter?" He raged towards her turned back. "You think that being sent here to do this is a pleasure for me?"

"Isn't it?" She asked, her back still turned. "If it is not then you've become a far better actor in the few short weeks I've been away."

"This is my punishment." He bellowed, the room seeming to swell with the sound of his voice. Determinedly he stalked around to face Rayne and roughly grabbed her by the shoulders. "I am being punished for creating this mess by being the one sent to murder my own daughter."

"And I am here, I give up." Rayne said shrugging off his touch, which he dropped reluctantly. "I won't make this any harder than it needs to be. But why keep on with the games? Why bring Draco into this?"

"You know why, he knows too much we cannot risk any further exposure."

"Yes he knows because I told him," Rayne frowned as she looked up into his eyes. "But what if he hadn't? What if he knew nothing? I know what you were planning."

He tried to look down at Rayne as innocently as he could manage, it was a difficult look to try and fake and Rayne wasn't at all fooled. "You would have made me stand there and tell him everything." She screamed pointing toward Draco. "You would have had me condemn him, make his death my fault."

He sighed which became almost a hiss as a scowl settled over his face. Too much time had passed and he was now tired of talking. "His death is your fault." He uttered in a low dark tone.

Rayne saw him move in what seemed like slow motion, each gesture took an age to perform and yet her own limbs felt like lead and she simply couldn't move fast enough. She watched as he whirled to look towards Draco, the power building and beginning to crawl over her skin like a thousand marching insects. She knew what he was going to do but she wasn't sure she'd get there in time to stop him. She saw him raise a hand, watched as Draco's eyes widened as he realised what was happening. The power began to glow in her fathers fingers and Rayne forced herself to move. She flung her body forwards like a dead weight, her limbs still resisting, and smashed into her father.


	23. To End All

-1To End All

A shriek escaped her lips but it was the force of her weight hitting him that was most distracting. To her it felt almost like hitting a wall of concrete, like flinging yourself at a statue, it hurt but she grabbed him around the waist forcing him to stand holding her weight as gravity pulled her limp body to the floor. If only she'd weighed a little more perhaps she could have knocked him off balance, as it was he merely stumbled but the effect had been distracting enough. The power that had made his fingers glow had leeched away, his irritation however had not.

He turned, rage contorting the ordinarily handsome features of his pale face, and glowered down at Rayne where she fought to pull herself up from the crumpled heap she'd landed in upon the floor. "Damn you girl!" He spat, raising his hand again only this time he whipped it through the air and landed a backhanded strike against Rayne's face. "Why do you keep insisting on making this more difficult."

Rayne gasped as he struck her, the force of it knocking her back to the floor. She braced her hands against the cold stone to stop herself from collapsing against it. She tasted blood, a warm trickle telling her that it was beginning to run freely down her chin but she did not move to wipe it away. Holding back a grimace Rayne forced herself back to her knees but kept her eyes cast carefully at the floor. From glimpsing his feet she saw that Draco had backed away as far as he could now that her fathers attention was focused back onto Rayne.

"You know our people Rayne, you should know better than many what must happen, why this must happen." He spoke sternly down to her, pacing in a slow circle. "You're a demon Rayne, why is this suddenly such a difficult concept for you to grasp?"

Rayne sneered, glancing up through a web of black hair. "I've changed." She muttered darkly.

A burst of harsh laughter escaped his mouth at her words. "You don't say." He said softly coming to a halt directly before her. Leaning forwards he grasped Rayne's chin tightly in one hand and gently raised her eyes to meet his. "Too bad nothing else can change." He hissed in a deadly whisper. In a swirl of hair and cloak he whipped around, power glowing in his curled fingers once again, and faced a suddenly wide-eyed Draco. Guess it was too much to ask for that he'd been forgotten about.

"NO!" Rayne yelled reaching out and grabbing his hand, the glowing power crawled unpleasantly beneath her fingers before it once again dissipated. This movement served her two purposes; one it again distracted him delaying Draco's death for yet another few moments. And two, Rayne used his hand to haul herself to her feet and rush forwards and stand in front of Draco again, using herself as a living shield not fearing for herself. They wanted her dead anyway what more was there for her to fear? If she could only save Draco.

"My patience is not endless Rayne and right now you are stretching it very thin." He said in a harsh, deadly whisper. His face contorted with fury.

The silence down in the dungeon suddenly seemed thick with tension, so thick that it was almost too difficult to breathe through. Rayne swallowed hard and shook her head. The blood on her chin had begun to thicken and dry but it still flowed freely into her mouth, coating her teeth and tongue in a film of red. Her long, usually sleek jet hair had become a tangled mass that fell in front of her face and marred her vision but she would not move it away. The fragmented pictures of what she was seeing were almost a comfort, as if not seeing clearly was somehow giving her more courage. Or perhaps she just simply couldn't stand to see the expression on Draco's face.

"I can't…" She began, her breath coming in short gasps. Shaking her head again Rayne forced herself to continue, fighting herself to let the words spill out of her mouth. "I won't let you do this. You don't…This doesn't need to happen." Her gasps struggled to turn to sobs with each short sentence, but Rayne fought them back, _must not cry must not cry. _"He has no part in this. You have what you came for lets end this now, just leave Draco alone." The word please stopped on her lips, no pleading was not a good idea it was too close to begging and too much of a show of weakness on her part could make things fall apart more quickly than anything.

"You will not let us do this?" He asked, his tone vaguely amused as he raised dark eyebrows in questioning. "Rayne tell me this, what is to stop us from simply killing him once you are gone? How would you ever know?"

"Because you are right. I do know better than many what we, demons, are like. We may be considered to be evil and cruel, but we are creatures of our words. If you gave me your word that Draco would not be harmed I know that it would be the truth." Rayne hissed back.

"And give me one reason why I should give you my word that this boy will not be harmed?" He questioned, his tone if anything still more amused than it had been before. "What would you offer me Rayne? You have nothing to offer, we already want you life what more can you give in exchange for this boy?"

_Damn. _This time he had a point. She knew that if she could only get his word that Draco would not be harmed then she could die with some sense of peace, but why should he give her his word. She had very few options at her disposal and nothing to offer in a trade. Only one idea came to her mind and to say that it was a long shot was a serious understatement.

"I…I don't know." She said a little dismally, shrugging her shoulders but venturing to look upwards and meet his gaze. "You're right I have nothing to offer in exchange. I suppose…maybe, I was hoping that…"

As Rayne stumbled over her words he sighed irritably. He hadn't been lying, his patience really was wearing thin. "Come on Rayne, out with it while we're all still young please."

Rayne flicked the hair back from her eyes, meeting his crystalline eyes with unmarred vision. She poured as much emotion as she could into her own amethyst orbs as she began to speak, her voice calm and steady with as much conviction as she could muster. "I thought perhaps I'd mean a little more to you than simply a life you've been assigned to take."

At her words he frowned. Opening his mouth as if to speak but her words had not at all been what he was expecting to hear that no reply would immediately come to his lips. In the end all he could muster was a lame, "What _are _you talking about girl." His tone not nearly as firm or definite as once it had been.

"You are my father." She said firm but coaxingly. "I know that you must kill me for what has happened but I thought that perhaps you would do me just this one thing. A little something to show that I did mean something to you."

He scoffed at her words. Shaking his head he turned away from her gaze, raising a hand in a dismissive gesture. But before he could respond Rayne had stepped forwards and yet again grabbed his hand. She tugged his arm sharply and he instinctively whipped his head around to glare back into her eyes.

"I know we are demons, We're not big on the whole humanity and emotions thing. We may not show them but I know for damn sure that we feel them." She said determinedly. "I would ask this of you, to save his life so that he knows that he did mean something to me." She gestured back to Draco, meeting his nervous grey eyes for the briefest of seconds, before turning back. "And perhaps I could die knowing that I did mean something to you, that I'm not just another demon but your daughter."

He looked down into her eyes and saw something there in her that he had never seen before, had this world really changed her that much, or had it simply brought to the surface something that was inside of them all? Something unfamiliar stirred inside of him as she gripped his hand and for the first time some form of emotion threatened to batter down his barriers and spill out into plain view.

"Do this one thing for me father, please." Rayne said earnestly, her voice barely a whisper. "For so long I've asked nothing of you, please at least make my death a peaceful one."

At her final words he nodded, his purple eyes glimmering with unshed and unspoken emotion. His hand tightened around hers in a far more tender fashion as he spoke. "Very well. If that would be your wish then I give you my word." Something clenched unpleasantly in the pit of his stomach, a feeling that was almost sickening as he continued to fight to suppress his emotions. He broke away from her gaze and looked up to the crowd of silent demons that were still gathered by the stairs, all standing diligently awaiting their orders little good little, well behaved demons. "The boy is not to be harmed." He said more loudly, his words firm and final.

Rayne nodded, dropping his hand from her grip, "Thank you." She muttered softly as she stepped back, a sigh escaping her lips. Now that that matter was over with there would be no more delaying, they were really going to kill her, these would be the last moments of her life.

Rayne sniffed back fresh tears and turned towards Draco. He'd backed up across the room and was stood against the large table upon which Lucius had prepared his potion. He still looked unnerved by the presence of the demons in his home, but he seemed to have grasped the thread that they no longer wanted to kill him and looked more unsettled than terrified. Rayne stepped briskly across the floor and fell against him. Her arms twined around his neck and her lips roughly found his own as she pressed herself tightly to him.

Draco stood for a moment stunned at her sudden advance on him but soon lost himself to the lips that kissed him passionately as he held her tightly. All else forgotten in those few moments except the wet tracks of tears that traced their faces.

In the end it was Rayne who stepped back first, raising her lips from Draco's just enough to whisper, "I'm sorry, I never meant to drag you into all of this."

"Is there no way to change what will happen?" Draco asked, his voice soft but still in danger of cracking under the unexpected and overwhelming emotion that had overtaken him.

Rayne shook her head, sniffing again, "No, I could barter for you life. But there is no chance for mine." She said in a hurried whisper as fresh tears began to cascade down her pale cheeks. "I'm sorry." She said yet again, kissing Draco quickly on the lips once more before tearing herself from his arms and turning back to face her father. "I'm ready, lets get this over with."

He nodded, carefully avoiding her eyes. He moved to stand directly before her, his steps sure and steady, but remained unable to really look at her for fear of hesitating. He knew he had no choice, he would face severe repercussions for letting the boy off and to let Rayne go too would be to sign his own death warrant. He was still pure enough of a demon to know his duty and to be able to perform it, but Rayne, her words and her actions there in that room had awoken something inside of him that left him feeling far less sure and certain of himself than he had been and he feared that seeing Rayne there for what she really was, his daughter, would cause him to break down.

With a heavy sigh he raised his hand, power beginning to prickle along his skin and glow between his fingers. Rayne closed her eyes and turned her head away. It would be quick, that at least was a mercy. He never spoke a word, as he felt the power peak he thrust his hand forwards, forcing the power from his hand and into Rayne.

She felt it grip her body like tightening ropes as it held her before it penetrated her skin. Jolts like electricity pierced her flesh, stronger and more painful with each spark. She felt it kill her organs, each one giving up life against the web of power that gripped it. Her head began to pound against the pressure on her brain but it was as she felt the power grip her heart that she threw her head back and screamed. A searing burning ripped through her chest as the scream tore from her throat and then there was nothing.

A soft thud seemed to echo about the room as Rayne's limp body fell to the floor. It had passed in barely seconds, so little time to extinguish so much life. He looked down on her body where it lay, lifeless and silent, her eyes wide and frantic with pain and on single, silent tear began to trace a damp trail down his cheek. She'd been his daughter and he'd been nothing to her but judge, jury and executioner and now it was too late for things to change. But one thing he could be certain of was that he would never feel quite the same again.

Wiping away the tear he turned with a flourish and hurriedly gestured for the other demons to follow him out. 'But what about the boy?' One of them ventured to ask. They were rewarded with a steely glare, "He is not to be harmed. I gave my word, and a demon always keeps his word." He hissed dangerously before turning to storm up the stairs.

Soon they were all gone leaving the dungeon deserted and quiet. Draco stood silently for several minutes more, his hand gripping the edge of the table so hard his knuckles shone whiter than the pale tone of his skin. They'd just left her lying there in the middle of the floor, tentatively he stepped away from the table, he fingers threatening to cramp, and he knelt by her side. With one gentle hand he pushed shut her eyes, so peaceful now that she could almost be sleeping, and silently he wept.

***

It was a hour before Draco dragged himself up off of the floor. His eyes were red and his usually sleek white blonde hair was a unkempt mess. Particularly glad at that moment there was no one else there to see him in such a state Draco set about the hard task of burying her body. The house was still deserted save for himself, a matter for that time he was grateful for. He made Rayne a grave at the back of the house, a quiet spot amongst the trees he was sure she would have liked.

As Draco headed back to the house to shower and to scrub away the dirt and perhaps also some of the memories he was certain that his life had then changed. He could go back to school and go on like he was supposed to, but nothing would be quite the same. Rayne would be forgotten soon enough by most, but things were changing, something bigger and more terrible was coming for all of them and Draco knew that his place, this time, wouldn't be with them.


	24. Epilogue

_Epilogue_

_Many months have passed now since her death at our home and I was more than right in my belief that things from that point on would be changing, and not necessarily for the better. _

_I still do not know why my father, the man who I had so respected and so admired for many years, he who I thought would always be there to be my saviour no matter the trouble, why he was not there when I, and she also, needed him most of all. I'm still sure that had he been there things could have been different, he had wanted her for something and maybe if he'd been there to talk to explain she would still be alive today._

_I don't know fully what was his part in all of this and I have a feeling now that I shall not know now for some time, if ever. There was a incident at the Ministry and father now resides in Azkaban, thanks be given to Potter and his friends meddling as usual where they're not wanted. But whatever the reason I'm not sure how it would change things for me. My feelings for him have changed somewhat considerably, never before have I thought of him as weak but now? _

_Perhaps weak is not the correct word, misguided or blinded perhaps, but whatever the right word all I know now is that he was not here for us then and he is not here for us now. These occurrences have left me plagued with doubt, things I was once so sure of now seem…questionable._

_Since fathers imprisonment it has been left to me to care for us, Mother and myself, but it is not this task that burdens me so. _

_Soon the time will come for me to return to Hogwarts, my sixth year and there I am to get what should be my greatest achievement. The task he has given me would be both mine and his greatest of all victories…_

…_If only I was sure that I could_

* * *

**A/N: at last it is at an end. I feel a little sad actually but the story is over and there will, obviously, be no sequal to these event. I hope you who have read this enjoyed my story, thankyou for reading I appreciate it muchly.**

**Love to you all xx**


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